Kings of Destiny Queens of Fate
by Alltariss
Summary: It was never meant to be easy. I had to be the most cruel, the most effective killer, but above all, I had to be the best. Naruto desired the right to exist and if that meant selling my soul to the Devil himself. So be it... OCxOC NaruxHina Epic Fic
1. Prologue

**AN: Note – Alltariss –** Welcome to the new rewritten version of Kings of Destiny Queens of Fate! I hope that you will find this new and improved version to be far more entertaining. But before you continue please read this Author Note as it contains a lot of information that is needed to fully enjoy this fic.

The first is that there will be a lot of differences that set this fic apart from established canon. I have read through quite a few books to gather a lot of research so that I can flesh out the world in a manner that is far more lifelike and convincing.

I have created an entire log of history dating back to the ancient times of Japan in order to recreate the Narutoverse in a way that is more realistic and detailed. This does not only include various clans that have historical importance, but also entire nations that are separate from the continent that the Narutoverse takes place on for the majority of the manga/anime.

The history of Naruto's homeland and the history of the other continents/nations will be explained in further detail as the story progresses.

I have always found that there were a lot of loopholes in the manga that were ignored due to suspension of disbelief. Such as the level of technology in the Narutoverse, this is hard for me to ignore as I have always wondered about such things. They talk about electricity, radios, computers, they even reference atoms and molecules when talking about Rasen-Shuriken, and yet they lack higher levels of weaponry such as guns or bombs? One of the Paths of Pein fired missiles from his arm for Kami's sake!

Therefore this fic will be an Alternate Universe as it will have substantial changes that are done to make sure that things at least try to make sense.

**VERY IMPORTANT!**

This fic will have moments that are graphic and contain scenes that may be filled with heavy violence, gore, and/or acts that are very depraved. This is how I envisioned what the Naruto manga would be like if instead of being made for Shonen Jump (which is designed for 14 to 16 or 18 years of age) it was instead made for adults and is a hell of a lot darker.

Also take note that in some places in the story I will place translations within parenthesises right next to the Japanese Romaji (Romanisation) Like so. Also I have placed asterisks alongside certain words* Like so, which is to notify to the reader that an explanation for it will be provided.

I will have an Author's Note at the bottom of each chapter which will have explanations for a variety of things such as Japanese culture and certain ideas/concepts that I have used, that I'm willing to elaborate on to give the reader a greater and more in-depth understanding of the Narutoverse I've created.

Now that all of that is done, please continue and enjoy reading!

* * *

><p><strong>Prologue<strong>

**Pay Heed to History, Lest it Repeat**

* * *

><p>The Kyūbi reeled backed, unleashing the blast upwards to the sky. The beam's power was to such an extent that one may even think it tore the night sky asunder.<p>

The beast was undeterred by its failure and once again began charge another sphere. Before Sarutobi or Jiraiya could think of a countermeasure, a giant toad only marginally smaller than the Kyūbi fell from the sky and slammed onto the creature's back.

"That's Gamabunta!" cried one of the shinobi. "And Yondaime-sama's(Fourth Hokage) with him!"

"Bunta, pin him down for a while!" Minato ordered.

"That ain't such an easy task!" the Boss of Toads replied.

The great amphibian struggled to hold the head of the beast in place. It was still charging up its attack despite being pinned down. Minato gathered as much energy as he could before leaping down onto the creature's fur and teleporting out.

The Kyūbi vanished making the toad hit the ground. The crowd of shinobi wondered what had just happened. A dome of light erupted far away marking the place where Minato had taken the creature.

"Quickly, everyone follow me!" the Sandaime commanded, rushing towards the location.

* * *

><p>Minato instantly teleported as soon as the beam of light left the mouth of the beast. He appeared in the shack where he had left Kushina and his son.<p>

"Minato," Kushina exclaimed, as he sank to his knees. "What's going on?"

"The man who attacked us is gone, but we need to seal the Kyūbi _now_."

Minato looked up, but was unable to meet her eyes. Kushina knew then and there exactly what her husband was planning.

"No, _absolutely not_!" she cried. "We are _not_ sealing it inside our son."

"We don't have much of a choice." he said, slowly rising to his feet.

"I won't place that burden on my son!" she wept. "Can't you seal it in back inside me?" she pleaded.

"Look at your seal, Kushina," he pointed. "It's so damaged and wrecked that it'll take _days_ to repair it well enough to be of any use."

He felt a pang of pain in his chest as he saw his wife weep, knowing that he was right.

"Kushina, I'm sorry," he whispered, tears flowing down his face. "You loved me, cared for me, made me a father, and brought so much into my life. I'm the Hokage and yet I'm powerless to save us all."

He reached out and held her close to him, seeking whatever comfort he could find.

"Whenever I dreamed of the future," Kushina began. "I saw nothing but happiness. You, me, and Naruto, all one happy family."

Minato released her and wiped his tears away.

"I'll use the Shiki Fūjin (Dead Demon Consuming Seal) to draw the Kyūbi inside Naruto."

Kushina shook her head. "You don't have enough Chakra, we'll both have to use it."

Minato wanted to disagree, but could not dispute her statement.

"If we both apply the Hakke no Fūin Shiki (Eight Trigrams Sealing Style), then…" Kushina theorised.

"Naruto will be able to withstand the full power, and they'll be no 'corrosion' until late in his life." Minato finished.

A deafening roar signalled that time was no longer on their side.

* * *

><p>Minato teleported to Gamabunta who was waiting at the broken walls of Konoha.<p>

"No time to lose Bunta. We have a Bijū to take down." Minato said.

"Well what are you waiting for? My wife could use a fur coat," replied the giant toad.

Minato teleported him to the field where he had sent the Kyūbi before vanishing again. A moment passed and he returned with Kushina and his son in tow.

"Bunta pin him down," Minato requested.

"As you wish," was the toad's reply.

Gamabunta and the Kyūbi launched themselves at each other. Kyūbi's fang and claw against Gamabunta's blade. With a deft twist, the toad's blade pierced the snout of the beast, pinning it to the ground.

Kushina stood aside Minato, tears forgotten, replaced with fierce determination. The clasped their hands together in the same Hand Seal. Their final moments had begun as they cried out each step and technique.

"Shiki Fūjin."

The Shinigami (Death God/God of Death) appeared behind both Minato and Kushina. Its eerie smile brought fear into the beast's mind. A ghostly hand protruded from Naruto's stomach and latched itself to the Kyubi's head, drawing it into the child's body.

"Shishō Fūin (Four Symbols Seal)."

Inscriptions appeared on the belly of their child written in obscure text.

"Hakke no Fūin Shiki."

The inscriptions glowed, signifying that they now combined.

Naruto begun to glow and shine until the light became almost as bright as the sun itself. A blast of radiance erupted as his parents fell to the ground dead.

* * *

><p><strong>Explanations for Japanese culture and certain ideasconcepts that I have used, as well as words/terms/names used.**

**Yondaime Hokage** – This translates to 'Fourth Fire Shadow'. For those who know a little about numbers in Japanese will notice the use of 'Yon' instead of 'Shi' for the number 4. This is because 'Shi' can also be translated to 'Death'. Thus it is no longer used very often when referring to the number 4 except in certain cases.


	2. Chapter 1

**AN: Note – Alltariss –** Hopefully the new formatting style is an improvement.

This chapter will reveal the events leading up to the Kyūi being released and unleashed upon the village of Konoha. An event that anyone familiar without Naruto should know, but I've made some small additions and changes that will be further elaborated on as the story progresses.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 1<strong>

**Unleash Thy Fury, Kyūbi!**

* * *

><p>The chamber was dim and dank, certainly not the best place for a woman to bring new life into the world. Nevertheless it was a great necessity, as it was far from the village and if the worst should come to pass, the damage could be minimalized. The formal looking structure was originally an outpost that was used during the wars, but now was abandoned for years.<p>

A young man ran his hand over a section of the wall, feeling the irregular and coarse stones used to build the outpost. The use of natural stones in lieu of more modern tiles suggested the cavern's age and added to the natural feel of the chamber.

"Minato-kun, how are the preparations?" Sarutobi asked, taking a long draw from his pipe.

Minato grimaced at the question. The aged ninja observed the young man's grim expression with a sense of dread. There was a lot that was riding on the shoulders of the Yondaime Hokage.

"The room is unclean and I hate that it has to be done here instead of a proper facility, but even I understand that we can't take such a risk." Minato's eyes scanned the stone walls carefully, darting all over the place.

He had placed a number of barrier seals with fully charged containment features. Yet, even with all the secrecy and security he could not shake off the feeling of unease.

Sarutobi could see the anxiety in his successor's face; it also seemed to cling to his body. If they were there on the battlefield, Sarutobi would have chastised the man for showing a lack of emotional control. Yet, the aged shinobi sympathised with the young man.

Here was a man whose wife was going to give birth to his first child. Sarutobi thought back to the birth of his first child, and the sheer terror that gripped him when Biwako went into labour. All those years on the battlefield didn't prepare him for what he had felt, but somehow he had waited it out.

"Relax Minato," Sarutobi said, clapping him on the back. "Everything will be fine, especially with Biwako assisting her."

He was glad to see the tension in the man's body leave, and instead find itself replaced with firm confidence.

Minato smiled. "Thank you Sarutobi-sama, for all the help and advice you've given me. I fear I may have been a nervous wreck without you."

The old man laughed, his voice reverberating off the cavern walls. "I'd be worried if you were actually calm, and to be honest the feeling never gets easier no matter how many kids you have."

Minato gave a small grin. "Was it like this when you had Asuma and Akio?"

Sarutobi nodded. "Oh yes, I was a total mess! I was freaking out in the hall hearing Biwako scream, and shout. And to make matters worse Danzō was right next me laughing his ass off."

He took another drag of his pipe and blew out a plume of smoke. "But when it's all over and you hold your child for the first time in your arms… It's _indescribable_."

Minato observed the old leader for a moment, taking in his features. Robust and slightly square-built the former Hokage looked to be in good shape. It was a testament to a man who lived through three wars, and survived to see retirement due to age rather than battlefield wounds. Sharp-featured and clean-shaven with the exception of a goatee, Minato regarded the man with a sense of wonder. He had no drooping flesh, but was wrinkled and his cheeks held a few liver spots.

"Hiruzen, Minato, the emergency medical equipment is ready."

The two men turned around and were met with an elderly woman. She wiped her hands on an apron of sorts that overlayed a plain beige blouse. The only reason Minato knew she was elder to him and was closer to Sarutobi's age was due to the gathering of wrinkles at the edge of her eyes. Otherwise her clean-cut face still held some semblance of youth and attractiveness.

Sarutobi immediately moved and placed a chaste kiss on her cheek. It was rare to see the old man show such affection in public. Minato felt that he was seeing an entirely different man; he had always envisioned Sarutobi as the epitome of a battle-hardened shinobi. Yet, before him for a split second were a loving husband and father.

"A good start, but don't think you're out of the dog-house just yet, you scoundrel." She scolded with her hands on hips and eyebrow raised.

Sarutobi gave a shaky laugh and rubbed the back of his neck.

_I knew forgetting our anniversary was a stupid mistake_

Minato bit his lip in an attempt to hold back any laughter and grinned widely, shoulders shaking with mirth. He was greatly amused at the predicament the old Hokage found himself in. It wasn't everyday you'd see the man be so thoroughly cowed.

"Good to see you Biwako-sama, how is Kushina?" Minato asked, quickly curtailing his instinct to laugh.

Biwako turned to Minato and gave a short nod. "Kushina-san is fine. I'll be escorting her here with a medical aid."

She turned to her husband, her visage serious. "Danzō-kun and Ishikawa-sama are waiting for you at the office, best not to keep them waiting."

Sarutobi straightened and gave a firm nod to both of them. "I'll head there now and send the squad immediately. Take care, Minato-kun."

With his hand in a position of half the Ram Hand Seal, he vanished in a swirl of emerald leaves.

"I suppose you'll be going as well, Biwako-sama?" Minato asked, readjusting his headband.

"Yes," she said, making the same half-seal as her husband. "And for Kami-sama's sake stop worrying! A man would die from the pain of child labour, but alas she's born a woman."

With that she too vanished amidst green leaves.

Minato walked to the entrance, stopping before the Torii gate. His hands flexed open before clenching them into fists, as he observed the setting sun.

_Why can't I shake off this feeling of terrible things to come?_

* * *

><p>"It's time to go Kushina-san, best not to waste any more time."<p>

Kushina closed the door of her home and locked it, before following Biwako.

"Is Minato ready, Biwako-sama?" she asked, gently rubbing her swollen belly.

"He's ready – nervous – but ready," the elder lady replied. "The boy should really calm himself down. He needs to in order to ensure everything goes smoothly."

Kushina grinned. "That sounds like him, but I'm sure he'll compose himself when its time. He's always been like that."

They walked along the footpath towards a hidden exit leading to the outpost, passing by many shops and homes. The streets were quiet as many have just closed shop or returned from work. Most will get ready to enjoy the night and the activities available.

Biwako stopped walking when she realised that Kushina wasn't following, but standing next to a lady that she had walked past. Walking up to them she then realised who she had passed by.

"Wow, he's so _cute_." Kushina gushed; she waved her fingers above the baby boy's face garnering his attention. "Hello there little one, what's your name?"

"His name is Sasuke." The lady replied.

Biwako beamed. "Oh Mikoto-san, you named him after Hiruzen's father?"

Mikoto returned her smile. "Yes, hopefully he'll grow to be a strong and fine shinobi."

Sasuke wiggled in his mother's arms and gave a little cry, Mikoto gently rocked him in her arms to calm him.

Biwako observed the two women who were old team mates, if her memory still served her well. Kushina was sweet-faced, yet her temper was legendary. Her long red hair, a sign of her Uzumaki lineage, flowed straight and down to her waist. Mikoto was glowing, no doubt after the recent birth of her son. Her fine-featured face and shapely body was the envy of many women. Coupled by her status as the wife of Uchiha Fugaku, the head of the Uchiha Clan, made her a well-known figure in Konoha.

"You'll be giving birth soon, right?" Mikoto asked, turning to Kushina. "Have you already picked a name?"

"Yes, I picked Naruto." She answered proudly.

Mikoto nodded. "A strong name."

"Kushina-san, we still have work to do." Biwako stated, hoping to continue on their way.

The soon mother-to-be bowed and faced her old teammate one last time, leaning forward to whisper.

"By the way, does it really hurt?"

Mikoto smirked. "Oh, so there actually _is_ something that scares you, Kushina?"

Before they could continue, Biwako took Kushina's hand and dragged her away. Mikoto shook her head and smiled at her best friend's apprehension.

_Such is the rite of passage we women go through…_

The Uchiha Clan had rejoiced at her son's birth wishing her the best of luck. Many were thinking of Sasuke to turn out like his elder brother Itachi, who was quite a prodigy.

"As long as you're strong, healthy, and happy, I don't need anything else." She spoke to the babe in her arms. Sasuke simply giggled at his mother.

"The details of your birthing are supposed to be a secret at least until the crisis is over. Until then it's best to avoid contact with friends," Biwako warned.

"H–Hai*, Biwako-sama," Kushina replied, slightly scolded.

The elderly woman huffed in annoyance. "Also, we're leaving the village secretly through a hidden passage. If you start to feel labour pains then try not to cry out loud."

Kushina winced. "Oh…Right."

* * *

><p>A scream of pain rang throughout the cavern, even reaching the entrance where the ANBU (Dark Side) squad stood guard. One of the men shivered at the sound, eliciting laughs from his fellow squad members.<p>

"Your wife is not yet due till sometime next year right?"

"Yeah, can't imagine what the hell is going through Hokage-sama's mind. Must be crazy assisting Kushina-san with her birthing."

"Maybe you can ask him what it's like after it's over."

"Yeah sure, if Kushina-san hasn't killed him yet."

"Ever wondered who the father is?"

"No one knows. Kushina-san's always refused to speak of him. Makes you wonder, huh?"

* * *

><p>Kushina gripped the small handles on the platform as another scream rang through the chamber. She clenched her teeth and took short quick breaths before pushing once more.<p>

"It hurts, damn it!"

Minato jumped every time she screamed. His hands were clammy and a few beads of sweat were present on his forehead. It was getting really hard to focus on the seal and repair it.

"I've never seen Kushina in so much pain. Is…she alright?" he asked, shakily.

"She's fine!" Biwako shouted. "Just worry about the Kyūbi's seal. Make sure it's stable."

Kushina's head titled back and she cried out in agony.

"But, she's–" Minato started, but Biwako wouldn't let him continue.

"Women are far stronger than you ever realise," she declared with pride.

Suddenly the young man felt a surge of the Kyūbi's Chakra. The midsection of the seal was now a large black circle.

_Damn it! The Overseal Design is fading. Come on, I'm the Hokage for Kami's sake! You can do this._

Minato quickly began weaving his fingers in complex patterns, his fingertips glowing with Chakra. The black circle became a little smaller but still refused to return to its original state.

_The Chakra Channels are breaking and some are even being redirected. I'll focus on realigning the redirected Channels first, before repairing the broken ones._

Minato's Chakra flared in response to his urgency. His hands were a flurry of movement; his face was a mask of concentration.

"Taji, get me some more hot water, and also some oil as well," commanded the elder woman.

Taji, an Iryō-nin, quickly returned with the requested items. Placing them nearby, she moved towards Kushina and once again checked her status. Biwako dipped her hands in the hot water before dipping her hands in some oil.

"Her vitals are still strong, Biwako-sama." Taji informed.

"Good, with a little luck we might pull this off."

* * *

><p>The ANBU squad was unaware of the intruder that had slipped past the small detection barrier. The intruder had made short work of them, utilising his unique abilities. He gripped the last squad member by the throat and slowly choked him till his body was limp. He dumped the body into the small moat around the entrance, before once again checking his surroundings. He walked towards the stone walls and simply phased through it as if it didn't exist.<p>

As he reached the inner chamber he silently observed the scene before him.

_The Jinchūriki is still in labour, which still gives me ample time to remove the additional seals littered across the room. Removing them should allow for the seal to weaken even further._

The seals that he slowly began to remove were designed to supress the Bijū's Chakra. Specifically the Kyūbi's as it was linked to its Chakra Signature.

* * *

><p>Hiruzen sat in the Hokage's office reading the patrol routes and stationary guard positions. Looking up he observed the two men in the office with him.<p>

Shimura Danzō, his old childhood friend, weathered-faced with wrinkles and square-shouldered, he was still looking good for the head of the ROOT ANBU Division. He was wearing ANBU standard black fatigues with armour plates around his forearms and shins. His Jōnin vest was probably loaded with explosives.

Ishikawa Shinichi, the Kageken (Shadow Sword), was as usual wearing a face mask which obscured his face from the bridge of his nose down. His left eye was covered by an eye-patch made of cloth rather than the standard leather which are more common. He too, was wearing the same uniform as Danzō, with the exception of fingerless gloves that Danzō didn't use.

"To be honest Sarutobi-sama, there isn't anything we can do that could improve the situation." Ishikawa said, pulling his gloves tighter around his wrist.

Hiruzen looked to his friend and received a nod to confirm his statement. The old man sighed in resignation.

"I just can't shake this feeling of unease. Like a string pulled tight till the edge of breaking. The slightest breeze would cause it to snap." He said rubbing his neck and shoulders to ease his tense body.

Danzō moved towards the window and gazed outwards. "My agents and any spare ANBU are scattered across the village, ready to evacuate the villagers to the shelters in a moment's notice."

"Exactly," Ishikawa reaffirmed. "We've even given them an extra stock of pills for back-to-back Shunshin (Body Flicker) manoeuvres. Of course, that will only be necessary if the threat _actually_ reaches the village walls."

Hiruzen gave them both a firm look. "Unlike the Shodaime (First) we've never truly encountered a Bijū. They're beings of pure Chakra and are known to be an unstoppable force when enraged."

The two men gave him a salute before making their way to the door, and preparing for an all-night stakeout.

* * *

><p><em>I don't understand this shouldn't be happening. The seal is breaking down faster than I can repair it. The Overseal Design was just starting to return to its original state, and then it suddenly shatters.<em>

A bead of sweat crawled down the side of Minato's face as he furiously worked to keep the seal from falling apart. Kushina was panting as she tried to gather herself for another push.

"I can see his head! Come on Kushina, one more try!" Biwako exclaimed.

Minato was at his wits end. The seal was breaking and more of the Kyūbi's Chakra raged. Kushina gripped the hand bars in the platform and screamed through clenched teeth. A moment passed before the first cries of a newborn child rang through the chamber.

Minato's face was one of incredulity, eyes wide, mouth open. "He's born," he whispered.

"Water quickly!" Biwako commanded.

Taji did as she was ordered, and in a few minutes the baby was warmly wrapped in a cloth bundle as its cries still continued.

"It's a boy!" the elder woman declared smiling down at the babe in her arms.

Minato laughed and wiped the tears that streamed down his face. "I'm a father today!"

Biwako carried the child and moved along the platform towards Kushina. Minato moved to get a closer look, but was scolded by the woman.

"The mother should see the child first, it's only right after going through so much pain to bring him into this world."

Minato rubbed the back of his neck and laughed half-heartedly, feeling properly chastised. Biwako brought the child next to Kushina, who turned to get a better look at her baby. Tears freely flowed down her face as she gazed upon her newborn son. His cries sounded like music to her ears.

"Naruto… I finally get to meet you," she whispered.

Biwako moved towards the small tables at the other end of the chamber to check the child with Taji to make sure he was in perfect health.

Minato gently held Kushina's hand. "Are you ok?" he asked, to which his wife slowly nodded.

"Thank you, Kushina."

She smiled warmly at him.

Minato stood straight and hit his fist against his open hand. "Yoshi!* I know you've just gone through childbirth, but I'll seal the Kyūbi immediately to save time."

A scream rang through the chamber and two bodies fell to the floor. Naruto's cries sounded fearful alerting both parents to danger.

Minato turned and saw the bodies of the two women lie still, with their blood quickly pooling.

"Biwako-sama! Taji!" he shouted.

"Yondaime Hokage, Namikaze Minato, step away from the Jinchūriki," the masked intruder demanded. His hand was above the child's face as if prepared to grasp his head and _twist it_.

Minato and Kushina looked at him but could find no distinct feature beside the unique mask that he wore, as the rest of his body was obscured by a hooded cloak. The markings on the ceramic mask were tribal in design, and to add further confusion it only had one eye-hole to see out of. Neither parent knew of a person who had only one eye, or stylised themselves as such. Neither thought it could be Kakashi, he was too young and the body size didn't match.

"If you don't get away from the Jinchūriki, this child's first minute of life will also be its last."

_How did he pass the detection barrier? Who the hell is this guy?_

Kushina let out a cry of pain as small scripts of archaic writing crawled along her body. The black circle that was the main part of the seal bulged out like a gigantic blister.

"Kushina," Minato exclaimed, his voice panic-stricken.

_The Kyūbi's seal is still yet to be repaired. It's still degrading and will release the Bijū if I don't fix it soon._

"My, my, it seems you don't really care about the brat," the masked man suddenly slipped a kunai into his empty hand.

"Wait! Stay calm!" Minato pleaded, raising his hands in calming motion.

The man laughed. "Speak for yourself, Minato. I am _very_ calm."

He immediately drew his hand back and prepared to ram his kunai through the child's head.

"Naruto!" Kushina screamed, unable to move from the platform.

Minato vanished, suddenly reappearing right next to the man. He placed a single finger on Naruto's forehead, and in a flash they both vanished only to reappear next to Kushina. All the masked man had in his hands was the cloth that the baby was wrapped in.

_If I didn't place a Hiraishin (Flying Thunder God) Seal on Biwako and Taji, if he wasn't standing right next to their bodies I wouldn't have made it in time._

"Well, I must hand it to you _Kiiroi Senkō_ (Yellow Flash) you do indeed move fast," the invader praised.

He formed a half Ram Hand Seal and gathered Chakra.

"But let's see if you can handle this."

He threw the cloth towards Minato which spouted puffs of smoke and sparks.

_Explosive Seal Tags!_

Minato vanished in less than a heartbeat taking the explosives with him appearing in a small shed next to a clearing. He leapt forward as the explosion blew the shed to pieces, rolling to soften his landing and keep Naruto safe.

Naruto cries were the only sounds to be heard as the ringing in his ears subsided. He checked his son and relaxed as he found not a single scratch was on him.

"Thank goodness, he's not hurt." he whispered, silently thanking all the gods he knew.

He flinched when he noticed that a sharp piece of wood had pierced the side of his shin. He pulled it out observing the blood on its tip. He threw it away quickly.

_I was forced to use Hiraishin to get out of there. His target was Kushina, and he was successful in separating us. I have to hurry, there's no time to lose._

With a small pulse of Chakra he vanished into thin air, before the wood piece hit the ground.

* * *

><p>In a clearing atop a small rock was Kushina. Around her was a lake with tall spires of stone that stood straight and formed an irregular semicircle. Her hands were bound with strings of Chakra reinforced with Fuinjutsu (Sealing Techniques). The strings were actually visible as they appeared to be floating lines of ink and symbols.<p>

She leaned forward gasping for breath, her knees almost buckling beneath her.

"What do you want?" she demanded, raising her head defiantly.

_Where is Naruto, is he safe?_

She felt another surge of pain, but refused to cry out in front of the enemy. The solidity of her seal was degrading even further; the proof was the small vein-like lines of cursives. They had now reached her shoulders and were proceeding down her arms slow-paced, while other strands of scripts reached her cheeks.

"I'm going to tear the Kyūbi out of your body, and destroy Konohagakure (The Village Hidden in the Leaves)."

Kushina's face was one of horror. Her pulse raced, blood pumping through her as her senses kicked into a state of almost hyper–awareness.

"Minato's teleportation technique allows him to instantaneously warp to predetermined locations using premade formulae," he stated, with a sense of strange familiarity.

He then pointed to her stomach which displayed the seal that held the Kyūbi within.

"He made sure to incorporate such a formula into your seal, to always be able to reach you, to _protect_ you."

He chuckled at his own snide remark.

"But now," he declared, spreading his arms wide. "I've put some distance between you, and the prison that holds Kyūbi is now weakened due to childbirth."

He lightly hunched forward with his hands in front as if grasping victory.

"Do you realise just how _long_ I've waited for this moment?"

* * *

><p>A shooting star crossed the starlight sky leaving a short-lived trail of light to mark its path.<p>

"Ah, a shooting star!" a small child exclaimed excitedly.

His father smiled down at him.

"Did you make a wish?"

The child paused, before throwing his hands in the air out of frustration.

"Argh! I knew I forgot something," he whined.

His father ruffled his son's hair affectionately.

"You'll do better next time."

In an alleyway two house-length away, a pair of cats sang to one another seeking comfort in each other's company. Walking past them were two young teens. Their metal headbands were inscribed with a spiralled leaf, signifying that they were Ninja.

"Can't we just do Jan–Ken–Pon* again?" whined one of the teens, running his hand through his grey-coloured hair.

"What, no way! Come up with something more exciting, Kakashi," counter-whined his companion, punching the air in front of him.

"Don't we have an early tomorrow to prepare for, Gai?" Kakashi asked, hoping to avoid facing off his friend in yet another spar.

Gai looked shocked at the prospect of not facing off against Kakashi.

"Don't use a mission as an excuse," he exclaimed, pointing at him accusingly.

Suddenly Kakashi stopped, his body tensed, senses flaring into a higher state. Gai paused at his friend's abruptness, observing him with curiosity.

"Gai… Do you sense something _off_?" he questioned, head swivelling left and right.

Gai's previous exuberance melted into calmness as he scanned his surroundings looking for any perceivable threat.

"Now that you mention it, I _have_ noticed a lot more security."

Kakashi nodded in agreement. "They're ANBU and yet they aren't bothering to cloak their presence. That in and of itself means something strange is going on."

Within the Uchiha Clan Complex was a young boy holding his baby brother in his arms. He gazed solemnly at the full moon feeling a chill down his spine.

"What is this feeling?" he whispered to himself.

The baby suddenly whimpered and started to cry, prompting him to gently hush and console his brother.

_It's a strange night. Of all the times for Mom and Dad to be out._

He gently rocked the baby hoping to calm him.

"Everything will be alright, Sasuke," he said, comfortingly. "Your big brother will definitely protect you."

* * *

><p>Minato placed his son down gently onto the bed. The shack was designed to be a resting place for Ninja after using the training grounds.<p>

"You'll be safe here. Just wait here, Naruto."

He covered the babe with the blanket provided and softly ran his fingers across his child's head.

"Daddy has to go and rescue Mummy."

He turned around and knelt down to the ground. Biting down on his thumb hard enough to easily draw blood, he swiftly performed a number of Hand Seals before slamming his palm on the floor. A puff of air swished by as a small toad appeared. Its coat was predominately red with blue markings, and upon its back was the Kanji* for "Gold".

"You summoned me, Minato," the toad spoke, his tone demanding to know the reason for being called.

"Kushina has been kidnapped by a masked individual. Even worse is the seal that holds Kyūbi at bay is severely weakened since she just gave birth. There's a high risk that it could break at any moment, thereby unleashing the Bijū."

Minato fished around in his pouch and grabbed a single tri-pronged kunai. He handed slipped it into his leg holster and stood up.

"You're kidding me, right?" the toad's yellow-black eyes widened, he did not expect such an emergency.

"No," Minato responded. "I need you to inform Sarutobi-sama about this immediately. He'll be in the Hokage's office."

The toad nodded and made a move towards the door, but he was interrupted.

"Don't run all the way there, we're too far. Reverse summon yourself back to Myōbokuzan (Mysterious Tree Mountain), and from there summon yourself directly to Sarutobi-sama."

With the proper instructions given, the toad clapped his hands and vanished into thin air. Minato looked back at his son before he teleported out.

* * *

><p>Hiruzen tapped his pipe to rid it of leftover ashes. He had been waiting for quite a while and the stress was slowly building in his shoulders.<p>

_Danz_ō_ and Ishikawa are supposed to report back every hour, on the hour. They should be here any second now._

True to his thoughts they did appear. Danzō from the door, and Ishikawa from the window.

"Anything?" he queried, only to receive a negative response.

He relaxed slightly, but immediately assumed a fighting posture when a toad suddenly materialised on the desk before him. Realising that it was a messenger toad, he calmed down, as did his two companions. The toad looked worried and the three men prepared themselves for the bad news.

"Minato sent me. Kushina has been kidnapped by an unknown assailant, and the seal could break at any second. He's most likely where the enemy is now and probably in combat."

The toad stared at Hiruzen for a moment before turning to see the two others that were in the room. Danzō and Ishikawa stood straight and in attention.

"Your orders, Sir?" Ishikawa asked.

"I'll mobilise all forces and prep the ill-informed to suit up for combat. I'll also alert the village through the sound system," he ordered, putting his helmet on and strapping it tight. "You two are to prepare for direct combat."

Danzō and Ishikawa disappeared in a burst of Chakra-enhanced speed. The toad sensing that its job was done also vanished.

Hiruzen turned on the microphone on the desk and flicked a switch that would sound the alarms throughout the entire village. He licked his lips in preparation to hand out his orders.

* * *

><p>Kakashi and Gai drew their kunai as soon as the alarms went off village wide. Their heads swivelled left and right searching for the threat. They paused when they heard the Sandaime's (Third) voice from the speakers.<p>

"Konoha, we have a Code Red Alert! This is not a drill. I repeat, this is _not_ a drill! We have a Code Red Alert! All non-military personnel are to be evacuated to the emergency shelters immediately! All military personnel, if capable, are to speed up the evacuation via back–to–back Shunshin! These are your priority orders until further notice!"

The two teens nodded before rushing into various buildings. They shouted for everyone to move out into the open, where ANBU and ROOT forces were grabbing people and using Shunshin to speed the evacuation process as ordered.

There was multiple officers shouting orders to off-duty Ninja and directing them. Kakashi looked at the one closest to him who kept shouting "Women and children first!"

"Gai," Kakashi called, who quickly appeared at his friend's side. "Use the Gates if need be. We need to get as many people to safety. I'll use my summons to assist."

His compatriot nodded and suddenly he was a blur of movement as he transported individuals to the bunkers. Kakashi wasted little time biting his thumb to quickly bleed, before performing a series Hand Seals and slamming his palms on the ground.

"Kuchiyose: Ninken Butai! (Summoning: Ninja Dog Unit)"

In a violent gust of displaced air and group of eight dogs of varying sizes appeared.

"Alright guys we have a dire emergency. I need you all to transport as many people to the bunkers as fast as you can. We don't have much time as I'm not sure exactly what threat has caused this village-wide alert."

With a unified bark they split up and assisted with the mass evacuation.

Kakashi saw an elderly woman on a balcony of an apartment.

_It'd take too long for her to make her way down to the street level._

Leaping up towards her in a single bound he lifted her into his arms.

"Hold on tight, Bā-san (Old Lady). I'm taking you to the shelter."

With a pulse of Chakra he blurred out of sight towards his destination.

* * *

><p>Within the confines of the seal the Kyūbi was pinned to a sphere of rock with all her appendages nailed with stone, and wrapped with chains to keep her restrained. She felt the seal weakening since Kushina was in labour, and now she felt as if freedom was close at hand. The once solid sphere was now molten lava which oozed down and loosened her chains.<p>

The masked man had other things in mind than simply letting the Bijū free. As soon as the Kyūbi felt a presence within the psychological realm of the seal, she thought nothing of it. It wasn't the first time someone other than her jailor wanted to see her, but she then saw his eye. His _crimson_ eye, the three tomoe's* swirling as they ensnared her in chains of a different form.

Outside the seal Kushina was cloaked in the Kyūbi's Chakra. The Chakra bubbled and popped, its consistency resembling a gelatinous substance.

"Now come forth, Kyūbi!" the masked man yelled as he made a half Ram Hand Seal.

A mass of Chakra flooded from Kushina's abdomen, rising into the air. The mass of energy was thrice the size of a mountain before it condensed into clawed hands and feet. Gale force winds flattened and broke a few trees as nine tails unfurled themselves in a grand show.

The body and shape of a fox with nine tails, yet it also could stand on its hind legs with anthropomorphic ease. It roared to the moon, a sight which it had not laid eyes on for two generations.

"And now to move to the next part of the plan," he said, walking away from the clearing.

"Stop," Kushina ordered, having only the strength to raise her upper body. Her body _burned_ in pure agony as she tried to stand, but found that she could not.

The man turned around with a look of astonishment.

"My, my, you Uzumaki Shinobi are quite _exceptional_. Even having a Bijū extracted from you doesn't kill you. It's even more impressive considering that you've just given birth."

The Kyūbi tilted its head down and stared at her menacingly. It was clear that the beast was trying to resist the man's influence.

"You were the Jinchūriki of the Kyūbi, it seems only _fitting_ that he be the one to kill you."

With its hand raised in the air, claws gleaming in the moonlight, the Bijū sought to strike down with all its might. Kushina could do nothing but watch as the shadow of the creature's hand eclipsed her. When its hand stuck the stone top she was on, it caused a shockwave that resulted in the stone spires shattering. The lake water splashed up and outwards, obscuring the surrounding area.

"Well it looks like you're as quick as your nickname, but your _too late_."

On a treetop a little distance away from the Kyūbi, Minato held his wife close to his chest.

"Minato, is Naruto safe?"

He nodded. "Naruto's fine and in a safe place for now.

Her entire body relaxed at his answer. Knowing her child was safe was the greatest relief.

"Minato, he's going to attack the village. We have to stop him."

She gripped his shirt trembling from the full presence of the Kyūbi. Turning his head slightly, he glared at the man who attacked his wife; his eyes shimmered with restrained vengeance. With a pulse of Chakra he vanished, leaving the man and beast alone.

* * *

><p>Back at the shack he placed Kushina next to Naruto on the bed. She gently caressed his small head. Tears flowed down as she cuddled herself to his tiny self. Minato's fists clenched tight enough to almost draw blood, his frame shaking with fury at the situation.<p>

He turned around and withdrew a scroll from his pocket. Opening the scroll revealed a seal that released a flak jacket and a short sleeved white haori*. He placed the jacket on first, quickly zipping it up and checking the small chest pockets for the extra equipment stored inside. After verifying his pockets he slipped on the haori which had red flame motifs along the bottom, and on the back were a string of Kanji that read "Yondaime Hokage".

"The village has already been alerted through a messenger toad," he stated tying the straps of the haori together.

"I'll be back in a flash, Kushina."

"This is the _Kyūbi_ we're dealing with! You can't take it head on, not like the Shodaime! (First)"

Kushina's warning made him pause. Minato was terrified. Nothing he had ever faced before could have prepared him for this. The war was a paradise compared to the utter chaos of the current situation.

"True, but we can stall for time. It's the least we can do until the preparations to reseal it are ready. For now, stay here with Naruto."

With his mind made up he vanished into the night.

* * *

><p>The mysterious attacker phased through the walls of a house as he appeared in an empty alleyway. The sound of sirens blared all over the village and from his position he could see a multitude of people rushing to safety.<p>

_Fools, you are only delaying the inevitable._

He lifted his mask up enough to bite his thumb, before pulling it back down. Without any Hand Seals he slammed his palm down on the ground.

"Kuchiyose: Kyūbi! (Summoning: Nine Tails)"

A spider-web of scripts crawled along the ground, up and along the walls, and over any object in its way. Suddenly the buildings, objects and people that were touched by the markings were instantly crushed. The sudden displacement of air was so great that concrete walls cracked, wooden beams snapped, and any people that weren't crushed by the initial effect were sent flying into the air.

"What the hell is going on?"

"What is that?"

"It _can't_ be…"

The Kyūbi released a deafening roar into the air and unfurled its tails, crushing the surrounding buildings. The summoner watched from afar at his work.

"Go, Kyūbi! Unleash your fury upon the world!" he declared.

* * *

><p><strong>Explanations for Japanese culture and certain ideasconcepts that I have used, as well as words/terms/names used.**

**Hai** – This is commonly translated to 'Yes', yet it also has a lot of other meanings based on the context. If one wishes to speak in a meeting it is acceptable to use 'Hai' as a way to not only call attention to yourself, but also to show that you have something to say, essentially that you have an opinion. Another example is if a person asked "Where is Naruto?" to find him in some crowded place, Naruto would reply 'Hai'.

That is because in that context 'Hai' means 'I am here'. 'Hai' could also be used for 'Sorry' or 'Pardon?' or 'What?', but in those cases it would be more common to use 'Gomen[nasai]', 'Sumimasen' , 'Nani' respectively. It is also used as a way to show the person speaking to you that you are listening to them and following their words, but the use of 'Un' is more commonly used in everyday conversation. Although 'Un' can also be used for 'Yes' or 'No' depending on the way it sounds. In terms of Hiragana/Kanji it can mean 'Yes' or 'Ash [as in the grey colour]' or 'Lungs'.

**Yoshi** – This is a very common thing that is heard in manga or anime. When a character says this it is heard as 'Yosh'. This is due to Japanese pronunciation, the "i" is not really sounded but must exist at the end of the word. In turn, this is due to Japanese lingual rules which dictate that words cannot end in consonants ("n" is the exception). It is an expression of excitement or enthusiasm, equivalent to saying "all right!" or "okay!" in English. An example would be, "Yoshi! Ikuzo!" which means, "All right! Let's go!"

**Jan-Ken-Pon** – This is essentially Rock, Paper, Scissors Japanese style. In the Japanese version both players chant "Janken Pon" to begin with at which they reveal their choice. If it is a tie then both players say "Aiko Desho" and immediately play again and again until a winner is determined.

**Kanji **– Kanji means Chinese letter or character. The script was invented by the Chinese and adopted by the Japanese around the middle of the 6th century AD. Kanji are ideographs meaning that the whole character conveys a meaning rather than just a sound (as in the case of hiragana and katakana letters).

**Tomoe **– A tomoe is a Japanese abstract shape, usually used as a necklace, (i.e. a swirl) that resembles a comma or the usual form of magatama. Tomoe are usually seen in a design of three known as 'mitsudomoe'. It is a common design element in Japanese family emblems and corporate logos. The mitsudomoe can represent the threefold division of Man, Earth, and Sky in some cases of the Shinto religion. The one mitsudomoe version, Hidari Gomon, is the traditional symbol of the Ryūkyū Kingdom. The two-fold tomoe is almost identical in its design elements to the Chinese symbol which is commonly used to represent Yin and Yang. The three-fold tomoe is very similar to the Korean tricolored symbol. The negative space in between the swirls of a four-fold tomoe, forms the shape of a stylized swastika, which is fairly prominent in India. Some forms of the Celtic spiral triskele resemble small groups of tomoe.

**Haori** – A haori is a jacket worn over kimono. It is never meant to be worn as a top by itself, or crossed over in the front like a kimono. The collar is meant to hang straight down along your chest. It adds formality to an outfit. Haori were originally worn only by men, until it became a fashion for women in the Meiji period. They are now worn by both men and women. Men's haori are typically shorter than women's. Different versions were specifically made for armoured samurai and shopkeepers to wear.


	3. Chapter 2

**AN: Note – Alltariss –** I will try to make each chapter at least around 5000 words and below 10,000.

The previous chapter revealed the Kyūbi's being released and sent to attack the village. Now this chapter will show the level of damage it can do and the steps taken by the ninja to subdue the beast before it wipes the village off the map. This is obviously familiar to readers, but I've made a lot of changes to the way the ninja act and fight, and also added some techniques and effects that Kyūbi didn't originally have.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

**Beware of The Fury of The Patient Man**

* * *

><p>The creature roared again and began to thrash the buildings around itself with unbridled anger. Sweeping its hands and tails it flattened everything in its path. The people were unable to move and could do nought but watch the calamity unfold around them.<p>

Within various complexes the members of each of the Konoha clans mobilised themselves for combat. The head of each clan ordered the women, children, and elders to be taken to the bunkers.

"All members who can perform long range shots are to form a line on me!" Hiashi commanded. "All others are to evacuate the house taking the family with them. Hizashi, you're in charge until I return."

Hiashi's twin brother nodded and motioned for the clan to move towards the exit.

"We're going to use a Hit–and–Run tactic against the beast," Hiashi explained, receiving several people's attention.

"We use Shunshin to appear close to it, attack with Hakke Kūhekishō (Eight Trigrams Vacuum Wall Palm), and then use Shunshin to escape from its range."

The clan members with him all nodded in agreement at the idea.

"Alright then, let's move out!"

They all leapt over the complex's walls and rushed towards the beast full sprint.

Shikaku and Inoichi of the Nara and Yamanaka clans worked to evacuate as many people to the shelters.

"We're running out of time," Inoichi stated. "We _need_ more options."

"You and I are _useless_ against that thing, so are the rest of our clans," Shikaku countered. "All we can do is leave it up to Chōza to deal with it."

The two clan leaders were commanding their clan members who were escorting Akimichi clansmen to the bunkers along with their own to reach safety.

Chōza had a line of men before him all garbed in battle armour.

"The plan is simple," he shouted, hoping they could hear him over the panicked screams and shouts, as well as the collapsing buildings.

"The first group uses Bubun Baika no Jutsu (Partial Multi–Size Technique) to launch the rest towards the beast. Those thrown in the air use the Baika no Jutsu (Multi–Size Technique), and then follow up with Nikudan Sensha (Spiked Human Bullet Tank)."

They all nodded in agreement before splitting into two groups.

"I pray to Kami-sama that Shikaku's crazy idea works," the Akimichi clan leader whispered, clapping his hands for a moment before moving out.

On the other side of the village was another pair of clan leaders working together.

"Get the weak and wounded to safety," Tsume shouted, the matriarch of the Inuzuka clan. "The regular forces can get the rest out of the way."

She turned to her friend Shibi, the head of the Aburame clan. "Aren't you gonna do _something_?"

He turned towards her, his face stoic.

"As always, you are passionate in battle," he stated, he motioned his right hand which was in the half Ram Hand Seal. "I'm communicating with all the insects in range and getting a broader picture of the situation. Why? Because I'm then relaying that information to my battle–ready clansmen, who can then save those our eyes can't see, or ears can't hear, or nose can't smell."

She huffed and turned to stare at the massive beast that was destroying the village.

"Always with that cool and calm attitude. Hmph! What do think you are, a ladies man?"

Shibi's lips twitched in a way that Tsume could have sworn was a smirk.

"Well, my wife likes to think so..."

* * *

><p>Atop one of the faces carved into the mountainside, a lone figure stood observing the chaos below.<p>

_I can't let this go on any further. It has to be stopped soon._

The Kyūbi paused in its rampage and looked straight at Minato.

"So you finally noticed me, did you?"

The beast opened its great maw and globules of high density Chakra formed a large black ball. With a roar it fired the ball much like a cannon straight at him. It completely flattened everything in its path, until only a conical crater could be seen from its initial point of fire.

Just before it reached Minato on the mountainside, a spider-web of scripts stretched out the length and breadth of one of the faces carved into the mountain. The destructive sphere hit the web and appeared to be absorbed by it. Once it completely dissolved into the web of seals, Minato held his hands in front of him and sent out a pulse of Chakra.

A flash of light enough to brighten the night sky shined from a large distance away. The dome of light was as large as the village itself.

_If it's that destructive then I can't simply teleport its attacks haphazardly._

* * *

><p>Somewhere down in the streets atop a roof was a man observing the disappearance of the Kyūbi's attack.<p>

"So the kid decided on a Jikūkan Kekkai (Space–Time Barrier) to send it safely away. A smart move, and possibly the _only_ move he can do in that situation."

Jiraiya stood alongside his teacher Hiruzen as he also watched the event.

"We're running out of time, Jiraiya," the old Hokage said.

"I know. At this point an all–out attack is all we can do to drive it out of the village boundary."

The aged warrior turned around and performed a few hand seals after biting his thumb.

"Kuchiyose: Enkōō Enma (Summoning: Monkey King Enma)!"

A large ape appeared with long white hair that reached into his back, long sideburns and a goatee. He wore a black suit with mesh armour underneath, over which he wore a sleeveless kimono shirt with white fur trimmings, and markings reminiscent of tiger stripes on it held closed by a sash.

"I can see now why you summoned me, Sarutobi," Enma whispered, looking at the Bijū with caution.

"We need to push it out of the village. Enma, please assist me."

The king of apes nodded before assuming a strange stance. His arms spread wide and back as if mimicking the wings of a bird, while one of his legs was in the air and bent as if he were sitting cross-legged.

"Henge: Kongōnyoi (Transfomation: Vajra Nyoi*)!"

In a puff of white vapour he shifted into a thick staff that looked as if made with black iron, and was gold–tipped on both ends.

Sarutobi gripped the staff and willed it to shrink and thin into a more manageable form. He then stabbed it into the ground and performed another set of Hand Seals.

"Ninpō: Onsei Zōfuku (Ninja Art: Audio Amplification)."

Sarutobi walked to the edge of the roof, preparing for full combat.

"All units prepare to assault on my mark!" his voice boomed, every ear in the village could hear him.

He grabbed the staff and leapt towards to beast with Jiraiya alongside him.

* * *

><p>The masked man phased through the ground and stood behind his target. Minato sensed a presence rear of him and attacked. The tri-pronged kunai in his hand simply phased through his head. The attacker grasped Minato's hand as soon as his attack didn't touch any part of him.<p>

"I'm your opponent now, and it's all over!"

The crimson eye spun three tomoe's before morphing into an entirely different shape. Three stretched triangles evenly spaced around a red pupil that each curved at the top around the eye to form a circle, making it look almost reminiscent to a pinwheel.

The area around both men warped and distorted before slowly sucking them inside the eye. Minato suddenly vanished before he could be pulled in, leaving only the man alone atop the mountain.

_He's fast. I'll get him next time, the __instant__ I touch him._

Minato crashed next to the destroyed shed he had teleported to back when Kushina was kidnapped and was forced to take the explosives with him.

_My attack missed, or rather it simply phased through. He tried to suck me in as soon as he materialised. What kind of Jutsu (Technique) was that? It felt similar to the space–time warping sensation when I perform the Hiraishin no Jutsu. Slower, yet felt the same._

A few metres away the area distorted and the man appeared before him.

"Did you think I'd let you get away?" he taunted.

_So he can use Space–Time Ninjutsu (Ninja Technique[s]). Which is how he kidnapped Kushina and took her fair distance away._

Minato slowly stood up, his special kunai in hand.

_A ninja skilled enough to take out an elite ANBU squad, and slip past the high level detection barrier that surrounded the area. Who also knew about the Kyūbi's seal, enough to know it would weaken during childbirth. Knew enough to be able to break the seal as well. Furthermore, he managed to slip inside Konoha without tripping the barrier that the Kekkai (Barrier) Division set up and manage. He tamed the Kyūbi and also has the Sharingan (Copy Wheel Eye)._

Minato assumed a fighting stance with his kunai in front.

_I know of only one person capable of all those things, even if it is unlikely._

"Are you Uchiha Madara?" Minato asked.

The man pushed his hood back revealing the leather strap that held his mask in place, and what appeared to be a face mask much like the one Kakashi wore. Minato noticed that the man didn't show any response to his question.

_Then what will you say to this?_

"No, you're not Madara. He's long dead," Minato stated, fishing for any information he could get.

The man tilted his head slightly and responded mockingly. "I wonder about that."

"At this point it doesn't really matter who you are," Minato declared. "But why are you targeting Konoha?"

"You could say I did it on a whim," the man answered. "Or that I planned it."

He raised his hand as a long rope of chains fell, with one end having a wrist clamp.

"Or you could say it's for the sake of war," he continued. "Or that it's for the sake of peace."

The man attached the wrist clamp to himself and pulled the chain to ensure it's ready for use.

_So he's not Madara that much is certain, but the real Madara could have been alive long enough to impart the information that enabled him to cause this much chaos. Not to mention the dangerous ideology that he follows._

Minato could hear an explosion sound off in the distance.

_I can't teleport to the village; he'll simply follow me and make the battlefield even more chaotic. Nevertheless he has the Kyūbi under his control, no doubt due to the contract. I'll need to break it, and to do so means I have to take first blood. I just hope the Sandaime can hold the situation long enough for me to do something._

"Now that the Kyūbi is free, you people have no hope!" the man said before he charged straight forward.

Minato leapt towards him and thrust his kunai into the middle of his chest, only to phase through. Then before he could turn around the chains that the man had attached to himself stopped him. He sent a pulse of Chakra and teleported to one of his marked kunai.

_Physical attacks are pointless, they simply phase through. But there is a weakness. He has to materialise in order to attack me. Therefore simultaneous blows are my best bet._

Minato turned around and faced his enemy once more.

_It's all down to timing. Whoever is a split–second faster will be victorious._

Once again they both charged forward, but before they were within arms–length of each other Minato threw his kunai at his head. He watched as the weapon phased through, hoping his reflexes were sharper than his enemy. His other hand flared with Chakra as it created a whirling sphere of pure destructive force. Its blue light shined with brilliance illuminating the two combatants.

As Minato thrust his hand forward hoping to strike his foe with his Ninjutsu, the man stretched his hand forward as far as he could hoping to touch Minato and warp him away the instant he made contact.

"I win," the masked man said, before his target vanished before his eyes.

Minato appeared above the man and grabbed the flying kunai with his free hand.

_Checkmate!_

With as much strength as he could muster, Minato slammed the ball of Chakra right at him. The man hit the ground with such force that the grass field cracked and cratered.

_Damn it! He teleported to the kunai he threw earlier._

"Hiraishin Level Two!" Minato shouted. The cloak the man had disintegrated as did the clothes he wore underneath, revealing the torn flesh of his back. Minato could easily see the white bone segments of his spine.

Without a single moment's hesitation Minato marked the man's spine with his Fuinjutsu formula, before leaping away into the cloud of dust that surrounded them.

A few seconds later the wounded man leapt atop one of the chunks of terrain that spiked up when he was slammed into the earth. He held his left arm which suddenly fell off at hit the ground; it appeared as if it _melted_ off.

"My, my, you got me," the man said, ignoring the pain he felt. "Perhaps this is what they mean by _elusive_."

Before he could say anything else he felt pain in his gut. Minato had teleported to him and stabbed him with his kunai before he could even react.

_He… He marked my body somewhere when he first struck me!_

Minato placed his hand on the man's chest and soon a web of seals spread across his body.

"With this you no longer have any control over the Kyūbi," the Yondaime stated.

With the contract cancelled Minato leapt back to a safe distance away.

"Impressive, you wounded me and broke my control over the Kyūbi," the man praised. "But, it matters not; the Kyūbi will be mine, in time."

The area around him began to warp.

"I _will_ rule this world, and there are _many_ ways to go about it."

Those were his final words before disappearing into the night.

* * *

><p>The Kyūbi shook its head as the illusion that bound its will faded away. It looked around at the village it was inside of as if searching for something. It roared in fury and began to once again destroy all that surrounded it.<p>

A woman raised herself up on her knees shoving a large slab of concrete off her back. Beneath her was a young boy, her son. His father stood a few metres away blood flowing from a cut on his head.

"Tou-san*, Kaa-san's* –" he started to shout before he was cut off.

"Why didn't you run to the shelter?" his father scolded. "I'll take care of her; just get to the shelter _now_."

"No, I'm not going to leave you both alone!" the boy shouted.

"Do as I damn well tell you! It's the duty of the parents to protect their child!" His father's face looked furious, yet his eyes betrayed his internal fears.

In a position elsewhere, Sarutobi and Jiraiya were preparing the strike the beast with the rest of the available squads.

"All units, attack!" Sarutobi commanded.

A group of Hyūga appeared before the beast, palms drawn back.

"As one," cried Hiashi. "Hakke Kūhekishō!"

A concussive wall of Chakra slammed into the midsection of the creature, pushing it back till its hind legs hit the outer walls of Konoha.

The Hyūga force retreated giving way for the next unit to attack. The Akimichi were split into two groups. The first made their arms the size of a giant's before throwing their fellow clansmen at the beast, the second expanded themselves to the size of houses and spun like a top.

As each human boulder slammed into the creature, it was pushed further and further back. The beast was finally outside the village walls. Sarutobi leapt down to the ground level and secured his footing with Chakra.

"Enma, extend," he commanded to his staff. The ape–turned–staff lengthened and speared the Kyūbi in the chest, but it didn't pierce its flesh. Instead it pushed the beast even further away from the village.

"Finally, it's out of the village," the Sandaime commented, hoping they could keep it out.

* * *

><p>In a place near the emergency shelters was a group of young teens all adorning the forehead protectors that signified that they were Ninja. A thick barrier prevented them from leaving the area.<p>

"The lot of you are to stay away from the Kyūbi," the leading officer ordered.

A young girl in the front of the group frowned. "What do you mean?"

"This isn't a battle between villages. This is a domestic issue; therefore there is no reason to risk your lives."

"What, but we can help! We're just as capable as you are!" the girl shouted.

"We are _Shinobi_. We are not guaranteed long lives." The officer's face softened. "Kurenai, my daughter, at least live long enough to pass the Will of Fire to my grandchildren."

Kurenai's eyes widened at her father's request.

"Make that oath to your father," he said. "I believe in you."

* * *

><p>"Hold the line, don't let it breach the village walls," the Sandaime commanded.<p>

Leaping into the air, the adamantine staff he held elongated before striking the beast's nose. The Kyubi released a roar that created concussive shockwaves. Trees snapped and fell whilst shinobi that were caught in the blast exploded in a shower of blood and powdered bone. The past few minutes felt like years in the beast's presence. Such was its bloodlust and crushing rage.

Jiraiya appeared, slamming his hand into the ground before a wall of earth the size of the red walls of Konoha arose from the ground, acting as an obstacle for the beast.

"Damn, this thing doesn't know when to quit," he said in an exasperated manner.

The beast sucked in a single deep breath, its belly expanding like a balloon. Its mass seemed to be almost doubled, it held the air within for a few seconds. Those few seconds felt like an eternity, before the beast exhaled a cloud of its Chakra into the air above the village.

The Chakra looked as if it was made of jelly as it wobbled in the air over the village. A single moment passed before the cloud burst and rained its energy all over. Jiraiya flared his legs with Chakra leaping over the broken walls of Konoha ignoring the cry to stop from his teacher.

Fire blazed wherever it touched, painting the whole village in bright flames. The Kyūbi's Chakra had sinister intentions of its own. Some of the Chakra had simply combusted setting alight whatever it touched along the surfaces of the streets and buildings, but some simply coagulated and clung to surfaces like blood.

Jiraiya could see a number of ninja performing Suiton (Water Release) Ninjutsu to douse any flames. He walked near a wall that had some of the beast's Chakra painted on it. A small thread of it suddenly came alive and reached out to touched him, he could feel his skin burn and suddenly begun having thoughts of such malicious nature that only a psychopath would be proud of.

The images faded as his own Chakra burned it out of his system. Heading down further into the village, he then observed the full effect of the energy. Civilians that had yet to be taken to the shelters were killing each other. Some were even _mutilating_ themselves. Others were committing acts that would have them locked up for life.

A man to his left next to a burning shop clawed his face over and over till he fell down, dead.

_He… He gouged his eyes out. Wasn't he the baker who arrived here a week ago?_

Jiraiya remembered the man giving him a sweet pastry for free.

Over to his right he saw even more insanity occurring. A young girl who couldn't be more than five years of age was being choked to death by an older child. It was clear to him that the girl was already dead. Her mouth open, tongue out, and eyes bulging. Yet the elder child kept his grip on the girl's neck and throttled her violently.

_They're the kids of that jewel merchant from the capital._

Out in front more than a few metres away Jiraiya noticed a woman covered in blood. She held something in her bloodied hands and was tearing into it with abandon. When he realised who she was and what exactly she was eating, he collapsed and emptied the contents of his stomach on the street.

_She that ANBU guy's wife. She's supposed to give birth sometime next year._

Forcing his body to move, he rose and walked down towards an alleyway. He hoped to avoid any other scenes, but only to come across another sight of human depravity. At the end of the alley was the path to the street parallel to the one he had just escaped. He looked on in shock as a crowd of men were raping women in full view.

_Is this the power of Kyūbi? They always said it was a creature of hate and malevolence, but I could never believe such things, until now. I thought they were just fanciful tales to scare little children into behaving._

He clapped his hands together and started to gather Chakra.

_There isn't much time, and this has to end now._

He focused his mind and forced one of Hachimon (Eight Gates) to open.

"Kaimon (Gate of Opening), Kai (Release)!"

Jiraiya's body flooded with Chakra as one of his internal energy reservoirs broke open. He bit his thumb drawing blood and with a few Hand Seals he slammed his palms onto the ground.

Two small toads appeared and before they could say anything, Jiraiya picked them up and placed them on his shoulders.

"No time to explain, we have a Bijū to subdue."

_Sennin Mōdo (Sage Mode)._

Jiraiya leapt back towards the beast in a single leap, joining the battle with renewed strength.

The Kyūbi's maw opened wide, balls of liquid and solid appeared and began to concentrate and form a sphere of nearly its own size.

_Is, is that Chakra? So much that it can appear in solid form._

The sphere condensed until it was possible for the beast to swallow it whole. After the Kyūbi consumed the ball of pure Chakra, small wisps of light shone from the gaps between its teeth.

_No, if it releases that much energy, it'll wipe Konoha off the map!_

The beast's jaw began to open, hoping to obliterate the village in a single shot. The Sandaime landed beneath its lower jaw, pointing his staff, Enma, upwards.

"Enma, Extend!" he shouted.

The staff's length grew, shooting towards the mouth of the creature.

"Senjutsu: Rasenrengan (Sage Technique: Spiralling Serial Spheres)."

Jiraiya attacked in tandem with two blue spheres of Chakra, hoping that this on-the-spot plan worked.

* * *

><p><strong>Explanations for Japanese culture and certain ideasconcepts that I have used, as well as words/terms/names used.**

**Vajra Nyoi** – This has two parts which need to be explained. I kept the terms as is instead of completely translating them as it would have sounded weird. A 'Nyoi', which can be translated as priest's staff but literally means 'as one (a person) wishes', is an auspicious decorative object associated with Chinese Buddhist rituals. It was made from bone or jade, with a head shaped either as a cloud or as a lingzhi mushroom and had a slightly curved handle, but the production and use of these objects declined after the Tang Dynasty. Vajra, which is 'Kongō' in Japanese, is a mythical material that is said to be able to cut through any substance, but it itself, cannot be cut.

**Tou-san (or other familial terms)** – This was kept in and untranslated for a variety of reasons. In the English language we simply refer to someone depending on their direct relationship to you, but in most cases we usually call someone by their name. For example in English we would call our parents 'Mum' and 'Dad', but would rarely call our siblings 'Brother' or 'Sister'. And for people unfamiliar to us we would refer to them as 'Mr.' or 'Mrs.' or 'Sir' or 'Ma'am'. In Japan and even other places it is common to refer to someone using specific terms to show your 'exact' relationship with the person.

Personally, as a person of Indian/Hindu background I would usually refer to someone as 'Uncle' or 'Aunty' even if they're not actually related to me in any way. It is just a term used to give respect to my elders. If I wanted to refer to someone younger to me then I would use a specific term to do so. In Japan it is common to refer to someone using very specific terminology to elaborate on what your exact relationship is with a person. This of course has changed over time and is not strictly enforced in the modern times, but it is still widely used and adhered to.

In Japan it is common to refer to sibling and parents and relatives with their specific term. In addition to the normal terms is the addition of suffixes. The common suffixes that we see in manga and anime are '-san', '-kun', '-chan', '-sama', '-dono'. These represent an added complexity to the already detailed terminology that is used.

The use of '-san' is usually translated to mean 'Mr.' or 'Mrs.' in English, but it not always so. It is mainly used when referring to someone who you are not so familiar or friendly with and/or the person has not given you permission to call them using a more familiar term. The latter case is when you are on a clan name basis with the person. When referring to someone unfamiliar it is expected to call them using their clan name and not their first name unless given permission.

The use of '-kun' is used for males to show a sense of familiarity and friendship and in some cases romantic interest. It isn't used for females as they have their own suffix '-chan'. The '-chan' suffix is primarily used for females in the same way as '-kun' is for males, but can also be used for young children regardless of gender. The use of '-kun' and '-chan' was VERY rare until the more modern period of Japan, where strict adherence to social status was slightly relaxed.

The use of '-sama' is a term used for people who you show respect for. In the context of Naruto it is used to refer to someone of a high rank or status. When used to refer to oneself it is considered a show of extreme arrogance or self-effacing irony.

The use of '-dono' roughly means "lord" or "master". It does not equate noble status; rather it is a term akin to "milord". Often used by those working under the employ of another.


	4. Chapter 3

**AN: Note – Alltariss – **Here is the introduction for some of my Original Characters before a pair of them wind up in Naruto's world. Obviously a lot of people seem to hate OC's and with good reason, a lot of OC's by various authors and they can be really, REALLY, horrendous in design. But I know very well the types of traps one call fall into when creating them. Mary Sue, Gary Stu, both horrible and sometimes it's worse when they turn out to be Naruto himself in an author's fic. Essentially OOC without giving a proper background and context to back up the change in the character's behaviour.

**VERY IMPORTANT!**

Some of the techniques, methods, relationships, and all-round context revealed in this chapter will play a BIG part in how the mechanics of the NarutoVerse function. I have taken great care and spent months (almost more than a year) to try and create world that follows logic and reason. Even though that world is filled with magic/chakra and any other mystical force, which naturally defies logic and reason in most cases.

I've made some subtle changes, but it doesn't really change the script entirely.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

**Step Through The Looking Glass**

* * *

><p>He struck the cloth bag again and again. The thin material was already stained dark red with blood. The guards at the door watched with fearful eyes, as their king attacked the hanging sack mercilessly. Ezekiel paused, breathing deeply. He looked at his hands drenched in crimson; he clenched them into fists again feeling the tackiness of the liquid.<p>

"Open the bag," he commanded.

The guards did as they were told, almost tripping over themselves in haste. With a dagger they cut open the bag. The body that dropped to the floor did so with a wet smack. The limbs and ligaments were bent in angles they were never supposed to go, the flesh long since blue-black from the trauma. It was a most grotesque sight that had one of the men nearly puking. Only the fear of showing such weakness before his liege-lord prevented the contents of his stomach to be publically displayed.

"The next time one of my men fails their duty, educate them before _I_ do."

"Y–Yes, milord," saluted the guards.

Ezekiel made his way out of the room, heading towards the baths. The halls he walked through were adorned with paintings of his ancestors, depicting their great deeds. As he reached the bathing chamber he nodded at the guards at the entrance, who understood that they were to leave.

Stripping himself of all clothing he waded into the pool. He stood waist-deep and simply basked in its warmth. Cupping his hands with water he splashed his face, ridding his cheeks and hands of the blood that coloured them. The purity of the water was now marred by crimson swirls.

Ezekiel heard footsteps behind him. He paused to hear each footfall. He knew it wasn't any of his men; they never walked with absolute confidence in his presence. Turning around he observed his bath-time intruder.

The oil–lit lamps could only illuminate the lower portion of man's face. From the slight turning of his head, Ezekiel guessed he was observing the ornate designs of the chamber and its architecture.

Ezekiel submerged himself fully beneath the water before lazily rising to greet his guest.

"The great god himself graces me with his presence," he said, mockingly. His amber eyes revealed a sense of anger beneath his false mirth. Strands of black hair clung to his face, lending a look of insanity to his smirk.

"I have come as you so childishly demanded. What do you want?" the hooded figure commanded. His voice was a rich timbre that echoed through the bath chamber.

Ezekiel ignored the insult and clapped his hands. "I hope your journey was well. Shall I call for refreshments?"

A small child appeared from behind one of the many pillars that upheld the high ceiling. A girl that could only be no more than seven summers old. Her tiny frame trembled as she forced herself to move closer to her master. The serving plate she held quivered, the cup placed on it inevitably clattered to the floor before she took more than three steps. Tears welled in her eyes before rushing down her cheeks as she began to sob almost uncontrollably. It seemed a miracle that she wasn't wailing by sheer will or absolute fear, perhaps a violent concoction of both. Her legs buckled and she collapsed in a small heap, whimpering apologies.

Ezekiel stepped out of the water towards the girl, watering dripping off his naked body. Reaching down, he grabbed her by the hair and slowly lifted her to his own height. Even in great pain she forced herself to not cry out. Her hands clasped together begging forgiveness she would not receive.

"I've already punished you twice now, haven't I _little girl_?" he whispered. "Perhaps you _enjoy_ my punishment."

"I didn't come here to chat or observe your fetish for young children," said the cloaked man, clearly repulsed by the behaviour displayed before him.

He pulled his hood back revealing his features. Silver hair flowed and framed his face, making his alabaster skin seem darker. His eyes were his most noticeable feature; the colours were inverted. The white of his eyes, the sclera, was black as can be. His iris was white as snow with his pupils glowing ethereally. All in all, it was a startling sight to see such an uncommon colouring of one's eyes. Nevertheless, the king controlled the reflexive impulse to be shocked.

"I was hoping to have a nice conversation," Ezekiel said, releasing the girl. "The truth is I need your help, Lucifer."

"What help?" Lucifer asked, his gaze drifting towards the girl, still cowering before her master. She returned his gaze, eyes pleading for salvation. Salvation he could not give.

"The prince of Narevia looks strikingly identical to my dearly departed uncle. When I first engaged the prince in battle I thought that my uncle had risen from the grave," Ezekiel began. "I faced the prince thrice in combat and it was then when I learnt his name."

He pointed his finger accusingly at Lucifer. "His name is Alltariss, the _exact_ same name as my uncle. They even call him Alto, my uncle's nickname that everyone used to call him by."

"Is there a point to this tale?" Lucifer drawled, obviously provoking the king.

"What sorcery have you done? What mockeries of my family have you committed?" Ezekiel hissed through grinding teeth.

"Your uncle was a good man. I pitied his existence, and so I put him to good use," Lucifer answered, nonchalantly. "Reincarnating him as your enemy was a fitting purpose. He didn't deserve the treatment he received from his own people, because of the foolishness of a mad king."

"My father was not mad!" Ezekiel shouted, enraged. "My uncle was a traitor and a kin-slayer."

"If only you knew the truth of what really happened between them," Lucifer whispered, shaking his head. "Do you _truly_ believe that your mother cried for your father, that her tears were for him, a _madman_ who treated her like a common _whore_?"

So furious was Ezekiel that he could not find the words to answer back to the god. His insinuations were akin to striking him in the face.

The atmosphere in the chamber changed, the air suddenly felt heavier. Lucifer's presence became almost tangible as his frosted rage sent chills down Ezekiel's spine.

"You are no longer my _concern_. I gave up on lost causes like you and your people the moment you all became enamoured by your own power. You were my children once, but you strayed from the path." Lucifer's voice cut into him like chips of frigid ice.

Placing his hood back on, he turned and began to exit the chamber.

"The sins you've committed are _beyond_ redemption. Just look at what you've already done to that girl and what you will do to her once I leave. You feel no pity, no remorse, no guilt. Aren't you _ashamed_ of what you've done?"

He continued to walk; his body wavered and began to fade away.

"Aren't you ashamed of who you are, _Demon King_?"

* * *

><p>He had the girl's hands tied, blindfolded her, and hung from the ceiling, her toes just barely touching the soft mattress beneath her. Her soft cries were the only sounds heard in the bedchamber. Ezekiel lounged languidly on the edge of the mattress watching her intently. He had stripped her of all clothing, leaving her flesh exposed for his enjoyment.<p>

He marvelled at the small scars that littered her petite body. In his hands was a single long feather from a hawk. Focusing the Mana in his body, he willed the feather to float into the air and move at his command.

It floated to the girl's feet and lightly touched her toes, making her flinch.

"Shhh…" Ezekiel hushed softly. "This is your punishment, your penance for your disgraceful service."

His fingers moved and the feather mimicked his will. It slowly brushed against her ankle and flowed along her skin upwards. Her body trembled terribly as it leisurely travelled up her leg.

"And even worse," he chastised. "You did so before a _very_ important guest."

The feather glided and stopped at the dip of her collarbone. With an extra application of Mana Ezekiel hardened the edge of the feather to a razor finish, before slashing down. The girl yelped in pain, and started weeping uncontrollably.

He tilted his head back and breathed deeply, as if to drink in the sound of her cries. The cut was shallow, _just enough_ to draw the most minuscule amount of blood.

"Tonight's session has only begun," he said. "I hope it will help you remember to be more useful. Or you and I will be spending _much_ more time together."

He moved his fingers again and the feather softly caressed her navel. With a sharp movement it sliced into her once more. Her cries would continue on throughout the entire night.

* * *

><p>Ezekiel sat upon his throne staring down. Cross-hatched lines of hieroglyphs inlaid into the black marble covered the floor. They told the history of the royal house, each line a person and their deeds.<p>

_Even our own god abandons us. Can he not comprehend the importance of winning this war? Humans are a plague, filth unfit to rule. They preach peace, yet wage war against our kind simply because of our customs. They preach friendship, yet stab each other in the back. And when called on their deceitfulness, they don't even have the courage to admit it and stand by their own convictions. They preach equality, yet they trust blood more than ability._

Ezekiel gave a derisive snort.

"What nonsense! Equality doesn't exist. No one can be equal. One will always be stronger or weaker than the other. The strong devour the weak. That is the rule, the absolute law that governs all life. It is how one becomes stronger, more powerful; it is the key to greatness that separates the king from the peasants."

The sound of a pair of hands clapping echoed through the room. A single figure appeared from behind one of the pillars at the side of the room. Ezekiel's eyes scrutinised every feature of the man, attempting to find weakness.

"Who are you, and for what purpose do you stand before me?" he demanded the mysterious visitor. The man wore a wooden mask with no discernable markings to be found.

"I come on behalf of my master, who has grand designs set in motion. His power is greater than anything one can imagine, his knowledge is even greater."

The masked man spoke of his master in a tone suggesting that he was revered highly, that his master was a man of great power.

"My master seeks a variety of artefacts and relics that would grant him unimaginable power, enough to achieve his goal of total dominion over the gods themselves."

A small chuckle escaped Ezekiel's mouth, before becoming full laughter. His voice echoing off the walls.

"And pray tell, what is stopping me from seeking these artefacts on my own and taking their power into myself?"

The masked man shook his head.

"How could you, when you lack both the knowledge and power to leave this world?"

Ezekiel paused, the statement sparking his mind into deep thought.

"You speak as if you can travel to other worlds. You speak of things that _cannot_ be done."

Ezekiel could practically see the sly smile behind the mask.

"Ah, but it _can_ be done. According to the history of your world the only method of traversing worlds other than this one is through the Cross Gates."

The man once again shook his head.

"But that is only for those who lack the power to use alternative methods."

"Why tell me all this? What do you seek?" the king of demons asked.

"All my master desires are a few loyal subjects, whom he will reward greatly?"

The king paused in thought, weighing the choices before him. "If I choose to ally myself with your master, what will I gain?"

"You desire a world free from humans, a world that is all yours to rule. My master can grant it so. You wish for more gold in your coffers, more women, more soldiers, consider it _done_. Even if you want to rule _more_ than this world, it can be given."

Ezekiel was bought and sold in that moment of time.

"I accept."

* * *

><p>"In all my life, no matter how many times I see you," Alto whispered into the air. "It never fails to take my breath away."<p>

The rising sun bloomed from the horizon illuminating the grass fields outside the city walls. He breathed deeply as the morning rays splashed against him. The frosted air revitalised his body with each lungful.

The tower balcony gave a perfect view of the city. The sound of bells could be heard as the monasteries began their morning prayers.

"Sire, forgive me, I did not mean to fall asleep during my duties."

Turning around Alto gave a smile at the horror on the young boy's face.

The prince ruffled the boy's hair playfully. He had seen a father do so to his son before, it seemed to be the appropriate response.

"Relax, I didn't expect you to stay awake all through the night."

The boy relaxed and gave a sigh of relief. "Thank the Goddess; I thought I'd be flogged."

Alto shook his head at the boy's exaggeration.

_Do people honestly believe I'm capable of such needless violence?_

A dark memory threatened to surface, to remind him that such violence was not beyond him. His teeth grinded against one another for a moment before relaxing, pushing such thoughts away.

"If I may inquire sire?" the boy asked, receiving a stiff nod to continue. "Why are you dressed for combat? And that too a common scouts armour?"

"I'll be going on a small outing, probably to the forest nearby. I haven't hunted in a while," the prince responded.

Alto walked back inside his chamber before turning around to face the balcony. He gaged the distance and prepared to run.

"Please tell me you're not going to jump off the tower _again_, Sire?" the young boy asked.

"Stairs are boring," Alto replied, running forward and leaping off the edge.

The young servant boy looked down and prayed to the Goddess that the prince survived.

_I don't want to be hanged!_

* * *

><p>The wind whipped his hair about as he fell at breakneck speed. The prince focused his pool of Mana into gale force winds, forcing his body to slow down. Not as safe as performing an anti-velocity spell, but far more exciting. In a matter of moments he had reached the comfort of solid ground.<p>

He noticed that he had landed in the hedge maze in the castle gardens near the walls of the castle.

_This is good, no one can see me open the passageway._

He ran his hand over a section of the castle wall, feeling for a specific brick. The brick had engraved into it a small sigil, when pushed it sunk into the wall until a small click could be heard. The wall of blocks moved and a passageway revealed itself, into which the prince entered.

Emerging from a painting that hung in a hallway that was fortunately empty, the prince quietly made his way to the castle library. When he entered the grand chamber of books he sought out his partner in crime. Slinking from aisle to aisle he eventually found her leaning against a table, book in hand.

Aisha hadn't noticed that the prince had moved right next to her, so engrossed in the book was she.

"I always found 'Bandit Love' to be rather melodramatic and sentimental."

Aisha shrieked in fright and turned to Alto who smiled roguishly.

"By the Goddess, I think I died of fright!" she exclaimed, placing a hand over her heart.

He closed the gap between them and kissed her soundly, shocking her once more, only in a much more pleasant manner. She returned his affections with fervour gripping the collar and straps of his leather armour. He responded by grasping her waist and pulling her even closer. With reluctance she pulled away, but was still in his embrace, brows touching.

"You in heaven yet?" he asked, huskily.

_I'm surprised this "flirting" concept is actually appealing to women. Honestly, all this song and dance when one can have an enlightening conversation that would result in less communication errors. I will never comprehend the idiosyncrasies of women._

She moaned pleasantly, much like she did every time she secretly indulged in chocolate.

"I think heaven needs a _shave_," she replied, gently cupping his cheek. Her delicate fingers running across his five–o'clock shadow.

He gave a small chuckle before pecking her forehead and releasing her.

"I would love to, but we have a busy schedule. Best not to waste any more time."

Alto clapped his hands and in a shower of gold sparks, a large tome appeared and fell into his waiting hands. Big as his chest and about as thick. Yet his hands didn't show any strain from its weight. Surprisingly he held and opened it in the middle as if it were made of feathers and not parchment.

"You know I've been reading a bit about magic," Aisha started. "And while it is possible, what you just did is unachievable to everyone but you."

Alto's lop-sided smile and raised eyebrow made her heart excited. It was the way he'd _look_ at her, _only_ at her with those abyss-black eyes that made her feel that there was something more to him. Something more than a prince, more than just a man, as if he was trying to make her guess who he truly was.

"The Grand Council of Magi has long since asked about it, and I have obviously refused to answer them," he replied, still grinning. "Oh, how it truly _infuriates_ them!"

_I spent years of research creating such a technique. I'm not going to simply hand it over without proper compensation._

She shook his head at his childishness.

_How he survived this far I will never know._

Looking down at the book she noticed a set of diagrams depicting what was a giant set of rings. It resembled planetary rings with each individual ring smaller than the outer one.

"What do you know about the Cross Gates?" Alto asked.

Aisha looked confused for a moment, pondering over the question.

"I've only heard the name, but I know nothing about them."

His face was one of solemnity informing her that whatever the Cross Gates are is of importance.

"The reason not many have heard about them is because all information regarding them was destroyed many centuries ago," the prince began in a quiet voice. "What is known is passed down from scholar to scholar through oral traditions. No one will ever write such information down as I have."

Aisha was perplexed, her brows furrowed in thought.

"Why would none write it down, and why would you risk it?"

"There was once a group of revolutionaries that travelled the realms and destroyed all information on the Cross Gates, even killing those who knew anything about them. Since then, none ever dare to write it down fearing they would be destroyed. I dare to risk it because unlike others I have the means to safeguard such knowledge."

His hand motioned to the tome on the table beside them.

"This tome in no ordinary collection of papers, it has a mind of its own."

Aisha blinked in surprise, and even greater confusion.

"A mind of its own?"

Alto patted one of the pages and the designs seemed to fade away from sight, as if the ink was sucked into the parchment completely. Then the ink reappeared with words that shocked her.

Greetings Milady, I am Grimoire.

"It's sentient?" Aisha exclaimed, her eyes wides as saucers.

Indeed I am. Please call me Grim.

"Umm… Pleased to make your acquaintance, Grim," she said awkwardly, unbelieving that she was conversing with a book of all things.

I'm so glad we get to finally meet, Master has told me so much about you!

Aisha's brow rose before smiling.

"Really now, I wonder what he says?"

"Maybe later, Grim," Alto interrupted, with a nervous look. "When we actually have the time."

She knew he was embarrassed and vowed to find out the truth later.

"Grim can easily hide the information and as an added bonus I can hide him within me."

She nodded. "A very safe method, I can't imagine many ways one can steal or extract the information, or destroy it."

The prince nodded in agreement, before sealing Grim back into himself.

"Now, the reason the Cross Gates are so important is that they are ancient arcane devices that enable one to traverse to other worlds."

"What!?" Aisha cried aloud, her voice travelling through the library.

"That was how the Millennium War ended, but that's a tale for another time," Alto continued. "I have done some research and I believe that a functional Cross Gate is right here."

She waved her arms, motioning around them. "Here, in the library?"

"Beneath the library to be exact, _very_ far down," the prince elaborated.

Alto grasped her hand and leads her to the centre of the library. A pillar of dark green marble was all that upheld the ceiling.

She placed a hand on the pillar; its surface was cool to the touch.

"What's so special about this pillar?"

"Sometimes the best place to hide something is in plain sight. No one would ever suspect this pillar to be the entrance to the gate," Alto explained.

Placing his hand on the column he whispered a single word.

"Aperio (Reveal)."

Seconds went by and it seemed as if the attempt had failed, but then cracks began to appear on the pillar. They seemed uniformed and the marble began to peel away like sheets of paper. Layer after layer went by before the column vanished. In its place was a tunnel leading down into darkness.

Alto conjured a small stone in his hand and tossed it down. Nearly a minute passed by, but no sound was heard.

_Damn, this thing really is bottomless._

"Clearly it's a long way down to the gate. There seems to be no way of reaching the bottom," Aisha stated with a tone of annoyance. "What language was that spell? It sounds familiar."

Alto took a deep breath. Mana swirled the area in hair-width strings unseen to normal eyes.

"It's a very old dialect, the name is Latin. It was one of the languages that our own was derived from," he answered. "As for how to reach the bottom fast, I believe there is a simple solution."

"And the solution is?"

Alto gave a mischievous smile before replying.

"This."

He lifted Aisha in a manner much how a newlywed man would carry his wife, before leaping over the edge and falling down.

A moment passed and the pillar reformed itself, leaving no evidence of their presence.

* * *

><p>Aisha's screams nearly deafened Alto as they fell down to the gate. He had sent a thread of Mana along with the pebble he threw down before. He could feel the ground closing in fast, and with the entrance closed he was eclipsed in darkness.<p>

Alto gathered Mana around them and prepared to perform parallel spell casting. He began to chant an incantation with as much focus as one can muster when falling to their death.

"Left hand of the Goddess, Grasp."

Arrays of golden seals flashed around them illuminating the tunnel walls. Each seal was an intricate design of lines, shapes, and symbols. Bursting from the centre of each seal was gilded chains that latched onto the walls. Unfortunately the chains snapped as soon as they tried to halt their descent, even as new chains burst forth to replace them. While they were slowing down at a constant rate, their velocity was still too fast.

Alto retracted the Mana around him and drew it all into himself, before saying the next incantation.

"Right hand of the Devil, Strength."

He adjusted his grip pulling Aisha closer to his body as he braced for impact. The energy flowed into his muscles increasing the fibres capability to withstand shock. His bones increased in their density and improved their stress distribution in preparation.

The collision with the ground was hard enough to shatter the stone bricks. Aisha's screams of terror ceased as she held onto Alto with a vice grip. After opening her eyes, she slowly noticed that she was still alive. The floating seals and chains were still there providing some light.

Alto suddenly released her and collapsed in pain. He yelped and grit his teeth in agony, as the toll for using such spells were exacted from him. His breathing was short and quick, each breath making his body feel acute pain as his chest rose and fell.

"Alto, what's wrong?" Aisha asked, grabbing his arm.

"Argh!"

"Sorry!" she apologised, dropping the hand swiftly making him groan in pain again.

She moved her hands just above his abdomen and focused her Mana into seeing what damage he had sustained.

"By the Goddess," she whispered, unable to believe the havoc the spells wrought on his body. "There are very fine breaks in your bones, _every single one_. And your muscles and tendons show a lot of tears."

"Don't worry about the bones, just focus on the muscles. That should be enough for me to stand on my feet."

"But a good knock could break the bone completely," she cautioned.

"From this point on the way is safe. It's just a straight path to the gate, nothing to worry about," he mollified.

Aisha wanted to protest, but she knew that look in his eyes. Foolhardy determination and complete disregard for his own safety. She knew better than to argue with him in this state. She slowly applied her healing techniques to his body, her hands glowing softly. After a few minutes she was done, but pretended to still be healing him, hopefully buying him more time to recover.

Alto slowly rose to his feet with a little help. He conjured a small ball of light before releasing the chains, allowing them to disintegrate. With a soft white glow along the walls of the small room he noticed a passageway leading out.

"Let's go," he said, walking gently with Aisha.

The walls of the passage were covered in small growths of vines, each strand a different colour and shade.

_It's like a rainbow coloured path._

"What are these vines?" Aisha asked, reaching out to touch one.

"Don't touch them!" he shouted. "There not actually plants. It's pure Mana."

"What, how?" she questioned, shocked at the startling revelation.

"Within the planet are great veins of Mana that run across the entire world. They appear in different forms. Some as solids like crystals, some as liquids such as the wells found in Azar, and some as gas like the vapour streams in the Frosted Fortress."

He pointed to the walls around them.

"In this case it's a mixture of solid and liquid, appearing to take the form of plant vines. If you touch them you'll overload yourself with Mana, as a healer you should know what happens if that occurs."

When they reached the end of the passage, a grand chamber greeted them. The chamber was spherical, illuminated by flowers that bloomed from the ceiling. From where they stood a long, thin stone bridge lead towards the central platform.

Alto slowly made his way across the bridge hesitantly. Though the bridge appeared unable to bear much weight, it proved to be sturdy enough to let him cross. He signalled Aisha to follow while he observed his surroundings.

The platform was engraved with runic symbols that he had recalled seeing in places that other Cross Gates resided. Unfortunately those Cross Gates were broken and decayed, nothing but ruins for centuries. He clapped his hands and summoned Grim back into the physical realm.

"Alright Grim, you know what to do," Alto said, raising the tome into the air.

Ghostly silver copies of the symbols rose from the platform in tendrils of words and sentences, rising into the flower–lit air. The book seemed to suck in the characters in a vortex of scripts. Once it was over the tome had within its pages all the information it had copied from the surroundings. When it was done Grim vanished into Alto in a shower of sparks.

"You know, that there's a good chance that we may never be able to return home."

The prince's hands shook with fear and anticipation. With a deep breath he began to channel Mana into himself in preparation for activating the gate. Aisha gently took his hand in hers, giving a comforting squeeze.

"As long as we're together, everything will be alright."

"I need you to describe a person for me," Alto suddenly asked.

"What for?"

"The gate requires some sort of target to aim for," he explained. "I could use a place, or landmark, but a person would guarantee we meet civilisation. Hair and eye colour should be enough for the gate to specifically choose a world and location."

"Alright," Aisha said, thinking of an answer. "Blonde hair and blue eyes."

With renewed confidence and determination, Alto flooded the platform with as much Mana as he could give without exhausting himself.

The platform began the shake, circular cracks ran along the platform before it shattered and great rings of stone revolved around them. With each passing second the rings spun faster and faster before an amalgamation of coloured blurs were all that could be seen. The colours were of such intensity and variety to the point of disorientation. A flash of white light erupted, before they fell into darkness.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Note – Alltariss –<strong> A lot of the techniques displayed and the behaviour shown will play an important role as they reflect the methodologies of certain characters and the mechanics of the world they live in.


	5. Chapter 4

**AN: Note – Alltariss –** This chapter reveals the events after the sealing of the Kyūbi. Most notably the direct and indirect effects the attack has had on the populace and the military forces. We also see a glimpse of both Naruto and Alto as they take their first breaths in the NarutoVerse.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 4<strong>

**The Aftermath**

* * *

><p>When the first rays of dawn stretched from the horizon, the village and all who lived within felt great relief, for they had survived the night. Sarutobi stood atop the Hokage Mountain gazing down at the destruction that covered the village. From the epicentre of where the masked man summoned the Kyūbi was a conical crater that extended all the way to the base of the mountain. The only thing left to be seen was the broken water pipes that were still gushing water. There were buildings that collapsed due to having their load bearing walls damaged beyond repair. A lot of the buildings that were closer to the beast were completely smashed to pieces by its hands or tails. The rest of the buildings suffered fire damage, some minor and can be restored in time, others were not so lucky and had burnt to the ground.<p>

The aged warrior sensed someone behind him and turned around swiftly.

"Relax Sarutobi-sensei, it's only me."

He relaxed as he was greeted by his student, Jiraiya.

"The walls are going to need to be repaired soon and we _need_ them to be manned."

Sarutobi didn't respond with words, he simply turned around to look over the village once more.

_I doubt we have the numbers to even do so…_

"Hideo-sama has the civilians still staying in the bunkers. We would usually send them out so they could retrieve any valuables, but…"

Jiraiya let out a sigh of exhaustion. He had been working round the clock organising whatever forces were left. Danzo and Ishikawa were assisting him, but it wasn't easy.

"The ANBU forces need to recover after using most of their Chakra getting as many people to safety. And even if they were ready to continue their duties we still couldn't let them out due to the quarantine."

Sarutobi's brow creased in thought. "Quarantine?"

_After dealing with that damnable beast we now have a fucking plague?_

Jiraiya nodded. "Yeah, Hideo-sama issued it a few hours ago. Since then we've been making sure no one leaves the bunkers."

The old man looked carefully at the village; he took note that the only people in the village were military.

"Exactly what caused the quarantine to be issued? Airborne virus? Infected food or water?"

_Where's Tsunade when we need her?_

His student shook his head. "Nothing like that, it's the result of the Kyūbi's attack."

"Where it exhaled the bubble of its Chakra?" Sarutobi asked.

_I've never heard of such a thing. Tobirama-sensei never mentioned such a technique._

"Yes," Jiraiya replied. "Most of it either combusted and started fires or it infected anyone who came in contact."

A look of confusion crossed Sarutobi's face. "Then how are you here and not in the hospital?"

_Because if I remember correctly you jumped right towards it. You. Bloody. Idiot._

"That's the strange thing, it only affects those with low Chakra Reserves. Anyone else is just fine."

"Ah," the old Hokage replied with a look of relief. "In that case we can let those rested and ready to roam the village and secure it."

_You're lucky I still need you or I would smack you around from dawn til dusk._

Jiraiya nodded and was about to say something but was interrupted by a messenger bird landing on the shoulder of his teacher. Sarutobi took the scroll off its back and quickly read its contents. Jiraiya watched as his teacher's face grew grim with each passing second.

"Danzō has called for a meeting in the office," he informed Jiraiya, whilst burning the scroll with a pulse of Chakra.

"Let's go then."

Without a second thought they vanished in a swirl of leaves.

* * *

><p>The bunkers were more than just a cave within the Hokage Mountain. It was a unique part of the village and a wonder of the environment. The part of the mountain that was seen from the outside where the faces of the Hokages were carved from was the only part of the structure that was solid. The rest of the mountain was actually underground. Beneath the earth was a series of tunnels that lead to a massive cavern.<p>

The immense cavity was discovered long before the village was born and was one of the main reasons that the village was built in such a location. The floor was uneven and any places that were flat were spaced away from each other and at varying depths and levels. It was due to the skill of Senju Hashirama that the place was now useable as an emergency evacuation area.

With his proficiency in Doton (Earth Release) he flattened the floor and shifted the stone until they were all at the same level. The result was a single cavern that could hold several thousands of people. This was repeated as they discovered three more caves of almost the same capacity. The four caves were then designated for different purposes.

The first cave was the main method of getting in and out of the bunkers. Therefore it was repurposed to have a variety of defensive structures that ninja could use to repel any invaders that attempt to get through. There were also small cabins that provided sleeping areas for the ninja to rest and recover allowing them to rotate shifts with those who stand guard.

The second was connected to the first with a tunnel going deeper into the ground. It served as the medical facility in case the hospital was destroyed or taken over by invaders. The facility didn't look anything like a cave as it had undergone many constructions to transform it into a near replica of the hospital in the village.

The third was even deeper into the earth which housed all the evacuated civilians. The cave was repurposed into a multi-story complex to expand the number of people the cave could hold. The fourth and final cave was an underground reservoir of water which was used to supply the inhabitants.

At the moment the caves were overpopulated as it was never designed to hold the number of people that the village currently had. It was originally meant for the population of Konoha when it was first founded.

"What's going on?"

"Why can't we go home?"

"Isn't the Kyūbi gone now?"

The director of the Konoha hospital closed his eyes and breathed deeply, hoping to relax his tensed body. He motioned for the shinobi next to him to pass the microphone over. Wetting his lips he prepared to speak to masses.

"Silence," he called out, his voice reverberating throughout the area and amplified by the sound system.

"I know that you are scared, tired, hungry, and eager to return to your homes, but that cannot happen at this point in time."

He could hear murmurs of discontent rising in volume.

"There is a plague that has covered the entirety of the village and as such no one is allowed to go out," he continued, hoping to cut off another round of shouting. "Until I can create a cure I'm afraid that nobody will be able to leave."

There were a series of panicked cries, each voice asking about the plague.

"The plague is very dangerous," he stated. "The symptoms are an increased desire to commit violence against others or to one's self. If you see anyone like that please inform the nearest ninja and the person will be taken to the medical area."

He turned off the device and made his way back to the medical facility in the upper cave, leaving the cacophony of shouts behind him.

_Sometimes… I really fucking hate my job._

* * *

><p>A group of children huddled together in a cramped room with only a few blankets to keep them warm. The younger ones were still crying, whilst the elder kids talked among themselves.<p>

"What the hell was that thing?"

"That giant fox thing had nine tails, _nine tails_."

"I remember hearing about giant beasts with numerous tails."

"Yeah… What'd they called them, Bijū?"

"I heard that the more tails they have, the stronger they are."

"How many of those Bijū are there?"

"Nine, I think. The highest is nine tails."

"I heard that the Yondaime killed it."

"_Really?_"

"Yeah, with some crazy ninja skills."

"He's dead you know."

"What, how?"

"He died after he killed the thing."

"Then whose gonna be the Hokage now?"

"You reckon it'll be Sarutobi again?"

"No way! He's _way_ too old to be Hokage, right?"

"I don't know anyone else who could take the title."

"Who knows what's gonna happen. Those ninja guys are always weird."

* * *

><p>A group of civilians clustered together into a single room. Each one was an affluent member of the village with multiple fingers in a variety of businesses and projects.<p>

"This is a fucking disaster."

"And with a plague to deal with as well. It's a sign from the gods."

"What I want to know is how that thing suddenly appeared in the middle of the village."

Each of them nodded and murmured their individual theories, but couldn't decide who was the most plausible.

"I heard one of ninja say that this wasn't an attack from a foreign country. He clearly said that this was a domestic issue."

"So that means we have a traitor in the village."

"Seems so, although how would a person capable of unleashing that thing go unnoticed is beyond my understanding."

"Exactly, someone must have had the guy under some sort of surveillance right?"

"That wouldn't make sense. We have the Yamanaka clan for a reason."

"He's right; they could have had the guy's mind scanned for whatever information they were hiding."

"Well whatever happened, _happened_. All we can do now is hope the Daimyo will provide support."

"He will, he's always given us aid when we needed it. Just look back at the wars we've had."

"Let's hope that still stands true."

* * *

><p>The sick and wounded gathered near the tunnel entrance of the medical facility. Their families and friends begged passage through, but were being denied.<p>

"Please, remain calm," a Jōnin shinobi called out. "We know you need help but we need to wait for the medics to give us the signal."

"Why can't we just go?" cried out a woman who held her bleeding husband's hand.

"We have limited space and even less supplies," he responded. "They can only take people in if they have the room to do so. Overcrowding the hospital would lead to another outbreak."

The woman was still distressed, but held herself from saying any more.

The shinobi on duty were unnerved by the sheer number of sick and wounded as a result of the plague and attack. During the wars it was common to see groups of ninja in a medic's tent, but while the severity of the sight was not unfamiliar the quantity certainly was.

_I hope this shit gets sorted out soon, otherwise we'll have a riot on our hands._

* * *

><p>"Hold him down dammit!" Hideo shouted to the three nurses beside him.<p>

The patient convulsed violently as his body underwent the rigors of forced accelerated healing. The process was not a pleasant one. The cuts along his body were sutured, but still bled as each slice was fresh. They had to exorcise entire chunks of his flesh before the necrosis could set in and spread.

After a tense few minutes the patient collapsed and the heart monitor gave a dull monotone.

"Get me the salt shot!" he commanded urgently.

One of the nurses rushed to the tray nearby and returned with a large syringe. The type that would make little children cry, the thicker than normal needle and gleaming point certainly reinforced such an image.

With a quick glance and shake the doctor squeezed a small amount to ensure not bubbles were present. Without a single moment's hesitation he plunged the syringe into the patient's heart to the hilt. The solution flooded the valves of the heart and dispersed itself throughout the body.

"Keep it pumping," he directed to one of his aids.

She placed her palms over the flat-lined heart and pressed repetitively to simulate his heartbeat. The doctor placed a hand over the patient's forehead and attempted to kick-start his cognitive functions.

A minute passed, then another, and another. The monitor still gave the monotone sound of death.

"Sir."

He ignored the call from his aid and continued to repeat the process.

"Sir, it's too late. He's gone."

Hideo slowly stopped his Chakra flow as he took in the situation.

_Another one dead, because I failed._

He withdrew his hand and checked his watch.

"Time of death, six-forty-seven AM."

He turned away from the now dead man as his aids recorded the time and placed a cloth over the body. In a rare burst of anger he struck the wall next to him. The past few hours had seen him going through one dead person after another, each one unable to survive any treatment given no matter what methods they use.

Hideo started walking towards the next room and was greeted halfway by a pair of Hyūga clan members. One looked healthy and normal as far as the doctor could ascertain with a look, but the other was pale and was struggling to breath. Each breath seemed to be a laborious task.

"Please," the Hyūga begged. "His Keirakukei(Meridian System) is shutting down."

His brow creased in confusion.

_Chakra exhaustion simply knocks people out, but it doesn't shut down the Keirakukei. Quite the opposite, it opens them more than before allowing for expansion._

He motioned for them to follow him until they found a sterile room for use. After laying the sick clansman down on a bed, Hideo performed a basic scan of his body.

"I get the same feel from the other patients. No doubt he's infected with the plague."

The Hyūga's eyes widened in shock. "But he hasn't been feeling violent or has contracted any form of necrosis!"

The doctor was puzzled over the information. Every patient so far had been through a violent episode before the necrosis set in, yet this single patient wasn't violent but had not started losing flesh. He couldn't make head or tails of this plague.

"Look at his Keirakukei and tell me exactly what's happening," he ordered.

Immediately the clansman activated his bloodline. A series of veins bulged against his skin around his pale-coloured eyes. The Byakugan (White Eye).

"I can see traces of a foreign Chakra inside him that's eating away at his own reserves. The Chakra is slowly reaching the Tenketsu(Pressure Points) around his heart."

Hideo racked his brain for any information regarding the situation. He was accustomed to normal diseases and infections.

Medical knowledge wasn't the same as it was before the Advent of the Rikudo Sennin. In those ancient times the majority of medicine was based on knowledge of plants that had certain qualities. Chakra-based techniques enabled doctors around the nation to save more lives than before, but it came at a cost. Not many non-ninja doctors had the body or knowledge to learn how to use their Chakra. Thus they still had to rely on techniques that were either out-dated or simply not as effective as the Chakra-based ones.

"What is his Chakra doing in response to the foreign presence?" Hideo asked urgently.

"It looks like its ramming itself against it. The foreign Chakra is fading away piece by piece, but not as much as his own Chakra reserves. He'll run out of Chakra long before it can fully cancel the foreign presence."

For a moment the doctor stood still, his eyes clouded as he recalled all the other patients he had tried to save. It was clear that there was a pattern, but for some reason he could not grasp it. In a way it was alike a broken machine, the power is there and the gears are all in the right places, except for one. A single small gear was missing, the key to solving this plague and finding the cure.

"The foreign Chakra in his right arm," the Hyūga said, gazing intently. "It's escaping the Keirakukei."

It was at that moment when Hideo noticed a small patch of discolouration on the patient's forearm. It was the first stage of necrosis; the cells would die and leave black patches of flesh. He suddenly had an epiphany.

_The necrosis is just a side-effect, not the purpose of the plague. No wonder all the others died. We were treating the effects, not the underlying cause that started it all._

He immediately brought his hands over the patient's heart and altered his Chakra into a blank slate, before pumping it into Keirakukei. The result was almost instantaneous the Hyūga next to him spoke excitedly of how his clansman's Chakra was quickly defeating the foreign presence. With five minutes of applying his method, Hideo had successfully cured the plague from the man.

"Wait here," Hideo ordered the Hyūga, before running out of the room. He had found the cure to the plague and wasted no time in informing the others.

* * *

><p>The devastation left by the Bijū was far beyond the mere physical damage to the environment and to the village. The amount of ninja that was lost was at five hundred and rising with each corpse found among the rubble. Yet nothing could compare to the overwhelming loss of civilian life. The numbers were already looking to exceed two thousand.<p>

Sarutobi Hiruzen collapsed into the Hokage's chair for the first time since his retirement. The reports regarding the situation were painting a very grim picture.

"The life of a ninja is short and death is to be expected," Hiruzen whispered. "But, even so..."

The door of the Hokage's office opened and Danzō appeared bandaged and using a walking stick.

Danzō was a man feared for many reasons. He was all that one would expect a shinobi to be and more. Once considered for candidacy for the title of Hokage he was not a man to be trifled with.

"ANBU and Root have been worked to the bone saving as many lives as possible. I suggest asking the clans to supply _every_ available ninja they have. By day after tomorrow, the village _has to be secure_ so we can resume our duties."

Danzō waited for a reaction. Hiruzen had always been his rival in all things. He wasn't going to let something like this tear him down, he wouldn't let this disaster break Hiruzen or ruin Konoha.

Moving closer to the desk, Sarutobi opened a drawer and pulled out a blank scroll and immediately wrote instructions on it.

"The ANBU once rested and recovered, can take care of internal affairs and village security under Shinichi's command. Can I count on you to take care of matters outside the village?" Hiruzen asked.

Danzo stood straight and tapped his cane on the floor.

"I'll mobilize any Root members I can immediately," he said. "It's good to have you back, Saru (Monkey)."

Hiruzen gave a small chuckle. "It's good to be back, Taka (Hawk)."

Jiraiya who sat just outside the window, smiled for the first time since the events of last night.

* * *

><p>Ishikawa Shinichi is a Shinobi in every sense of the word. The title he holds is known to all Konoha Shinobi. The Kageken. To those who know him well, he is called by another name entirely. For a man who appears for only a moment before fading away, leaving only corpses in his wake, it seems only fitting that he was known as Rei (Ghost).<p>

He had read through the reports, each one leaving a bad taste in his mouth. The casualties on both sides had him feeling more agitated than usual. He was used to high stress situations, but never before had ever felt so _ill-equipped_.

_There will be plenty of time to clean up this mess. We can leave that to the main forces. What I need right now is information._

He walked through the labyrinthine corridors of ANBU Headquarters. Information was his bread and butter. The lifeblood of his work, most of which revolved around secrets that could cripple entire cities, even the entire nation itself.

"Itachi, Taka, head to Military Police Headquarters and tell them that I don't care if their tired, hungry, thirsty, and terrified to the point that they've already pissed their pants. They _will _work overtime to restabilise the civilian districts."

Shinichi's voice left no room for discussion. He _is _the Kageken and his word is _absolute_.

"ANBU or Root are going to have their hands full manning the walls and keeping vigilant watch for any signs of enemy intruders and acts of sabotage. _Make no mistake_, this is a fucking disaster. We're still weakened and disorganised, which means we have a target painted on our backs. We may have gotten over the last war, but were in no shape to survive another one. Now move!"

The two ANBU operatives vanished before their presence was no longer detected within the building.

He gave a short sigh as he exited onto the open streets. Taking to the rooftops in a leisurely manner, he swiftly and silently made his way to the only area that was mostly untouched in the chaos of the Kyūbi attack.

_If there's one person who has more secrets than I do, it's her._

He hoped that she was still alive and kicking. There was no doubt in his mind that she would leave the village as soon as possible considering that it was no longer safe. The Pleasure District would hopefully still be standing and in good shape. If so, then Ishikawa had a chance to convince her to stay.

* * *

><p>Katsumi crossed her legs in the absently provocative way that only a veteran courtesan could. Some people fidgeted habitually. Katsumi seduced habitually. With a figure most of her girls could only envy. Suzuki Katsumi had been a courtesan of an age. Ishikawa knew of at least a dozen duels that had been fought over her and at least as many lords that had proposed to her, but Katsumi would be chained to no man. She knew too well all the men she knew. All except one.<p>

"I'm not going to leave if that's what you're thinking."

She looked down at her hands which were being attended to by one of her girls. Each nail was being painted with the utmost care.

"I wouldn't be surprised," Ishikawa replied. "The Nine wouldn't risk your death. You're too valuable."

She smiled at him. In that infuriating way that let him know that she knew something he didn't. It was always a game between them. A game to see who could outplay the other. Katsumi loved it, more than the grandest meal or finest wine.

Ishikawa's blood chilled in his veins before he realised what she was implying.

_They knew. They knew that Konoha was going to be attacked._

"Why?" he asked as he continuing to pace in the chamber. "What would they hope to gain?"

Katsumi said nothing, preferring to stare down at her painted nails which were receiving another coat. Ishikawa looked closely at her, trying to decipher her actions. Every motion had a hidden meaning. It was clear that she was trying to tell him something, but couldn't openly say so.

He looked at the girl who was attending to Katsumi. Suddenly the world seemed so much clearer than it was before. She was a spy direct under the command of the Yakuza. He had known that she was a spy, but knew not who she worked for.

"You're a piss-poor spy you know that?"

The girl froze.

_An amateur mistake. You can lie, but your body just betrayed you._

"I don't know what you're talking about."

_Another foolish mistake. Never lie to an accomplished liar._

"I'm pretty sure no one paints their nails with more than two coats, and you're currently at the fifth coat."

She stopped painting and turned to face Katsumi, her face defiant.

_Good, I like a challenge. Show me what you got Yakuza bitch._

"The Yakuza will not appreciate what you've told him, Suzuki-san."

At first it was a gentle shake of her shoulders, and then she actually laughed. Katsumi held her mirth before responding.

"And what will you tell them," she teased. "I didn't say anything that could be construed as the Nine's knowledge of the attack."

She smiled at the girl in a prouder sort of way, confident in her superiority.

"What the Nine fail to understand is that Rei is an accomplished shinobi. A shinobi who specialises in information and secrets, some of which are very dangerous and could cause untold damage. His mind makes great leaps and arrives to conclusions faster than myself."

Ishikawa snorted derisively at her words.

_Untold damage? You have no idea, and it's gonna stay that way._

He straightened up and moved towards the window, opening it so he could exit.

"Don't bother getting anything out of her. She's clueless, and simply a distraction to keep me busy. A task that would more suited to a person with intelligence…"

He gave a smirk at the young spy, but it was hard to tell with his face mask.

"And bigger tits."

He leapt out the window with a smile as he felt the hot glare of the girl.

* * *

><p>Quickly appearing back in his office at ANBU headquarters, Ishikawa readied himself for a long term mission. His connections among the Nine were simply as a contact and on occasion a hired assassin. He knew very well that sneaking into the home of one of the Nine would be a clear show of betrayal. It was of paramount importance that he avoid leaving any evidence that he was behind the infiltration. If the Nine found out, it could very well lead to a cold war.<p>

_They wouldn't dare pull this stunt without someone's backing. I doubt that it's Iwa(Stone) or Kumo(Cloud)._

He gathered a variety of documents and sealed them within a single scroll.

_Onoki has a tendency to use mercenary bands for any task that can't be directly linked to his village. And even in our current state he wouldn't try to invade, simply because he can't make up his mind. They call him 'fence-sitter' for reason._

Pulling out a blank sheet of paper, he began to write instructions for his secretary to follow.

_Ei would certainly love to invade us, except that his forces would have to go through a minimum of two countries, and a maximum of five. It would be impossible for him to hide his army from us. Nevertheless, the Nine weren't backed by Kumo. Their far too military-based, civilians aren't treated with the same respect as ninja. Their rank system won't allow it._

He quickly signed the document, leaving it on the table for his secretary to find. After double-checking his supplies he created a Kage Bunshin(Shadow Clone). The clone watched as his creator simply faded away out of sight, much like his nickname.

* * *

><p>Fugaku was furious. As the head of the Military Police Force and the Clan Head of the Uchiha Clan, he was accustomed to receiving a certain amount of respect. The blatant and almost carefree tone of the messenger made the missive itself sound far more insulting than it was originally.<p>

"How dare he give us orders as if he runs this place? Work overtime? Ha! As if we weren't already pushed to the absolute limit."

Fugaku took another report from one of his aides and glanced over the details.

"The Kyubi has left a pile of corpses as tall as the Hokage Mountain! Just look at this report. Every single person who was in direct contact with the Chakra cloud has died."

He sat in his chair and threw the report onto the table for all to see.

"Alright, listen up men!" he shouted. The entire office was immediately silent at his command.

"The entire village is looking up to us, to _our _clan. So let's give our all to restore the village! Show them the strength of the Uchiha!"

A unified shout was the response before they returned to their duties with renewed vigour.

Pulling out a bottle of sake from a small compartment in his desk, Fugaku proceeded to pour himself a drink and in a single motion drank a full cup.

"That bastard's probably whoring himself out with the Mistress of the Pleasure District."

* * *

><p>It had been three days since the event and the village was still in a state of shock. Fortunately the majority of the confusion was gone as Sarutobi had made several statements to the public in order to keep them informed of the current situation. Yakushi Hideo sat in his office in the hospital. The underground medical facility was able to function without him since he informed the medical staff of the cure. The hospital had suffered minor fire damage from the plague, but this didn't bother the director as it could easily be repaired.<p>

What did bother him were two newborn children that Sarutobi had brought in the night of the attack. He had assigned Hatake Kakashi and Maito Gai to watch over and take care of them until he was free to actually visit them. Even now, there were still cases of patients that would require his personal intervention. It was in these moments that he wondered what to do.

Even though the plague was being effectively cured and treated, it still left a much traumatised populace due to its effects. The deaths of each plague victim they were unable to save were horrifying. The necrosis would spread until the victim died in unimaginable pain, or they would die from the blood loss resulting from the removal of too much flesh.

He made his way to the room where the two infants were and was greeted with the two young men he had assigned to watch over them. Both Kakashi and Gai gave a firm salute to the director and waited for any instructions.

"At ease both of you," Hideo said, allowing them to relax. "How are the kids?"

He had checked on them the day before alongside Jiraiya and found a number of strange things to note down in his report.

"Nothing wrong so far," Gai replied before looking to Kakashi.

"I'm not familiar with babies, but they're annoying. These two certainly are," Kakashi said.

Hideo looked at the two small infants and started to check them for any irregularities.

"So have they been fed or needed a change?"

Both teens nodded with a slight look of annoyance. Hideo chuckled at their faces.

"You shouldn't look so hopeless. Sooner or later you'll both be having little ones of your own. The practice now would come in handy."

"Not a chance in hell," Kakashi whispered to Gai, who was vigorously nodding in agreement.

Sarutobi Hiruzen walked into the room with a purpose, accompanied by Jiraiya. The hospital was working over time to heal and counsel those affected by the attack. He read the reports in the morning. Shinichi's secretary had mobilised the ANBU perfectly for the village defence, Fugaku had managed to retrieve all the bodies in the districts in less than seventy two hours, and Danzō's Root had eliminated a variety of scout squads from other hidden villages before they could return with news of our weakened state.

He rubbed the bags underneath his eyes for what must have been the hundredth time. It had been a while since he slept.

_Come on, no time to rest yet._

He had been surviving on ration bars, NightWatch pills and Soldier pills.

"Sarutobi-sama," Hideo greeted with a bow, whilst Kakashi and Gai gave a salute to their commanding officer.

"At ease all of you. What's the condition of the two newborns?" Hiruzen asked.

Hideo picked up the medical report from a nearby table and began to explain his findings.

"The newborn children are in perfect health, I could find no ailment that could affect them in the future. Although there are some strange, uh, I'm not exactly sure how to describe it, but suffice to say they are beyond normal."

Jiraiya took the silence after the doctors' dialogue to inform the aged ninja of his own findings.

"The seal is clearly visible on Naruto's skin when Chakra is applied. The seal is far more advanced than the original. Although I cannot find any seal markings on the other child, Alltariss. Hideo-sama's findings should provide a little insight as to why, but other than that, all we can do is speculate."

"Alltariss?" Hiruzen asked, confused.

"Ah right," Jiraiya started. "We named the other kid that."

He gave Jiraiya a look of suspicion. "I suppose you named such because he looks more like the Westerners."

Jiraiya sheepishly rubbed the back of his head and nervously laughed. "Most of the time we just call him Alto."

Hiruzen nodded, "We're holding a council meeting shortly. It would be best if you could both attend and go in further detail concerning the children."

With a salute the two men gathered their effects and prepared to accompany Hiruzen to the council meeting.

* * *

><p><strong><strong>Explanations for Japanese culture and certain ideasconcepts that I have used, as well as words/terms/names used.****

**ANBU** – This translates to 'Dark Side' [insert Star Wars pun here]. In all seriousness that is what it means, but it is also an acronym. 'A.N.B.U' expands into 'Ansatsu Senjutsu Tokushu Butai' which translates to 'Special Assassination and Tactical Squad'.

A few corrections and subtle changes here and there, but all in all the same.


	6. Chapter 5

**AN: NOTE – Alltariss –** This chapter will reveal the nature of the sealing and also discuss the effects of the Kyūbi's attacks, especially the one I created. I've made some changes and fixed a few mistakes, but for the most part it remains the same.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 5<strong>

**Good Intentions for Deception**

* * *

><p>The mood of the council meeting was tense. All the members were exhausted after working day and night to restore the village.<p>

Hiruzen cleared his throat and began to speak.

"As of seven days ago, we the village of Konohagakure was attacked by an unknown shinobi. This shinobi had, in some way summoned the Kyūbi."

Inuzuka Tsume, the Clan Head of the Inuzuka Clan immediately rose to her feet.

"How's that even possible? I've never heard of someone having the ability to summon a Bijū," she exclaimed.

The Sandaime nodded, confirming that he too was at a loss. Even with his vast knowledge, Hiruzen was unable to accurately say who the masked ninja was or could be. At best he only had a sneaking suspicion.

"Whoever that ninja was, he was never seen after Minato engaged in single combat against him. Unfortunately we never found a body, so it is entirely possible that he managed to escape. Nonetheless, we can at least breathe a little easier knowing that the Bijū was sealed in two infant children, and will never be summoned by that man again."

He motioned for the ANBU to bring a table and place the two children carefully on top. Both Naruto and Alto twisted and turned, their eyes gazing at everything in a sense of curiosity and wonder.

Hiruzen sat down in the Hokage's seat, suddenly feeling a wave of exhaustion wash over him. He knew very well that the Bijū was only sealed within Naruto. The other child was found next to the bodies of Minato and Kushina.

_The child had no reason to be there. Kushina only had one child, the medics confirmed it. Even more strange is that the boy looks nothing like them. The facial structure didn't match to any Nihon-jin._

Sarutobi closed his eyes and rubbed them gently.

_No, it's better that we lie and say that the child was altered as a result from the sealing process._

"Sealed, you say? We all know that Minato was a skilled Fūinjutsu expert, but how secure is the seal? Can we safely say that it won't break or that the Bijū will not possess the children's bodies?" asked Yamanaka Inoichi, the Head of the Yamanaka Clan.

The Sandaime motioned for Jiraiya to come forward and present his judgments on the sealing.

"I examined both children as per Sarutobi-sensei's orders," he began. "The original sealing technique differs from what was used in terms of design and the way it was applied. The process of sealing the Bijū into living containers has happened enough times for me to understand how it should be properly done. Any Bijū whose number of tails is five or more needs to be very carefully sealed."

Jiraiya began to pace round the chamber, hands clasped behind his back. Sarutobi nearly chuckled at how much he seemed to mimic himself when he gave a lecture.

"If they are normally sealed, then the Chakra will eventually 'corrode' the body in which it is held. This usually results in the Jinchūriki(Power of Human Sacrifice) have shorter lifespans. The original seal that Minato was going to use is almost flawless. Instead of sealing the entire power of the Bijū, he would split it in half. By separating the Chakra into Yin and Yang, he could then seal only half the power into a host and the Jinchūriki would not only have better control, but a longer lifespan as well. Over time the missing half would slowly regenerate, which means that the host would have time to adjust and learn how to control the Bijū's power as it grows with him."

"A bold strategy," Shikaku remarked, Head of the Nara Clan. "The Jinchūriki may be weak in the beginning but would get stronger as he ages."

"Exactly, but that's not what happened when Minato actually performed the sealing. You see, Minato wasn't alone. Kushina was with him."

"I see, wasn't Uzumaki-san pregnant? How could she be of any assistance?" Shibi questioned, Head of the Aburame.

"Actually the children that were used to become a host, was the ones that she gave birth to on the night of the attack," Jiraiya replied.

"I see," Shibi murmured in deep thought. "I knew of Uzumaki-san's pregnancy, but I know not who the father is. Do we know who or where the father is?"

"I'm afraid the children's father is unknown. Neither I, nor Hideo-sama knows who the father is. Minato and Kushina were pretty close to each other, so we did a DNA test to see if either was Minato's child, but it returned negative. 'No Match'."

"Then why does the boy look like Minato?" Shikaku questioned.

It was a credit to Jiraiya that he did not show any sign of deception. His years of being in the espionage sect of ninja had served him well.

"I believe the way Naruto looks like is a result of the sealing process," Jiraiya began.

"How so?" Sarutobi asked, showing genuine interest.

He had known that Jiraiya was a skilled soldier, yet he never really knew how good he was at being covert and sly. He attributed it to the man's perverted lifestyle, a life he had lived since youth.

"I'm not entirely sure and I don't want to mess with the seal too much when it's still fresh, but I think Minato sealed a part of himself within the child."

Inoichi snapped his fingers and had a look of realisation. "Of course," he exclaimed. "How else would he ensure the mental stability of the child, if not placing a part of himself inside the boy?"

"And what of the other child?" Shibi asked. "What reason does that child have for looking so different?"

Jiraiya's face was a mixture of confusion and anger. "That's the thing that bothers me the most."

The council all observed the man with interest. Jiraiya was known to be a very easy-going and jovial person. To see him angered was a rare occurrence.

"I think that Kushina may have been in a relationship with a Westerner. It would explain why the child looks unlike any Nihon-jin."

The entire chamber was filled with hushed whispers, each one trying to understand the implications of Jiraiya's theory.

"That can't be right," Sarutobi countered, looking shocked.

"I'm afraid it is Sensei," Jiraiya replied. "It would explain why Minato took care of her, even inviting her to move into his home during her pregnancy."

"Jiraiya's theory is sound," Shikaku stated, gaining everyone's attention. "Relationships between people of Nihon and the West are not looked down upon, but if you _do_ pursue a relationship then either person will have to choose which nation to belong to."

"What do you mean?" Tsume asked looking confused. "I'm not aware of such a thing."

"Either the Westerner or the Nihon-jin will need a change in citizenship," Shikaku explained. "It's an old agreement made between our two nations."

"I see," Shibi spoke, gently adjusting his dark shades. "Since Kushina and this Westerner took their relationship to an intimate level, they would have to decide who would change their citizenship."

Jiraiya nodded and picked up where Shibi left. "Exactly, and I assume that neither one wanted to change their citizenship, so they went their separate ways. Everything would have been fine…"

"Except that Kushina fell pregnant," Sarutobi finished. "Did she try to contact the Westerner?"

"I assume she did, but never received a reply," Jiraiya answered. "Or worse, the man fled as soon as the news reached him."

"Fucking coward," Tsume growled.

"Nevertheless, that is the most likely scenario and the mission records corroborate with my theory."

Jiraiya gazed at each member of the Ninja Council silently asking if anyone had more questions, but found that they were satisfied with the information given. Clearing his throat, Jiraiya prepared to continue on where he left off.

"Both Minato and Kushina were very skilled in Fūinjutsu. After examining the seals I have found that they created a seal that far outclasses anything I've ever seen before, _especially_ when it comes to Jinchūriki. Now forgive me but the next part is a little bit technical, but I'll try to explain it as simple as I can."

Jiraiya stood in the centre of the council chamber next to the children and pointed to a projector screen above the entrance. Hideo clicked a button and the projector beside him flickered on bringing a photograph of Naruto on display. The picture focused on the seal located on the child's abdomen.

"After Minato became an Expert Sealist, I took it upon myself to teach him a variety of specialties that would later define what type of Sealist he would be."

At that moment Uchiha Fugaku, head of the Uchiha clan raised his hand. "What exactly do you mean by specialities?"

Jiraiya acknowledge his question, but his face showed indecision. "It's hard to explain or put it into terms for you and council to understand."

"Why," Fugaku pressed. "We're all Jōnin here. There's no need to dumb any of it down."

The last thing he or anyone expected was for Jiraiya to burst out laughing. He continued to laugh for half a minute before regaining enough control over his senses to answer.

"I don't mean to be insulting, but with the exception of Sarutobi-sensei you and everyone else in this room are no better than an _academy student_ when it comes to Fūinjutsu."

"That's impossible we know way more about Fūinjutsu than any academy student," Inoichi exclaimed.

"Not true, all you did was _memorise_ _pictures_ and what they do. Any student at the academy can do that. You simply know more pictures than they do."

The old sage shook his head in disbelief at the looks the council were giving him.

"Not one of you knows anything about the actual parts that make a seal. I doubt any of you even know how to open any of the seals you know about. You just use them like shuriken, just something to use and throw away, but not really understand."

Sarutobi scratched his beard in thought and soon a thought emerged from the depths of his mind.

"You said that Minato was an _Expert_ Sealist, but what does that mean. Is there some type of grading system among Sealists?"

Jiraiya turned to his teacher and nodded. "All Sealists are graded using a very detailed system. There are seven ranks and within the two highest ranks are a variety of sub ranks."

He leaned against the table and folded his arms. "I am at the highest rank which is Master Sealist, but explaining the grading system isn't important right now."

He cleared his throat. "Back to the topic at hand," he began. "When I graded Minato as an Expert Sealist I then introduced him to several different branches of Fūinjutsu. In the end he decided he wanted to specialise in seals that dealt with space and time."

Jiraiya chuckled as if laughing at some inside joke only he was privy to.

_The only reason he wanted to learn more about it was because he wanted to spend less time moving from one place to another and more time with Kushina._

"I expected as much considering that he learnt the Nidaime's Space-Time Ninjutsu. So I gave him my notes on the topic and tutored him on the higher level theory. Unfortunately this tragedy occurred before he could reach the next Sealist rank. Nevertheless, know that he was highly skilled in all areas of Fūinjutsu."

He pointed to the projector screen and once again talked about the seal on Naruto.

"Now this is the seal that's on Naruto's body. The Shishō Fūin was to be applied twice then bonded together with the Hakke no Fūin Shiki, but that didn't happen. A single application of the Shishō Fūin creates four pathways for the Kyūbi's Chakra to flow through. Minato applied the first two seals then Kushina applied the same two seals again. At that point Naruto had _sixteen_ pathways for the Kyūbi's Chakra to flow into his Keirakukei."

He moved to the projector and replaced the picture of Naruto with a blank plastic sheet. With a black marker he soon began to draw diagrams for everyone to see.

"The twin-layered Hakke(Eight Trigrams) Overseal was designed to do a lot of things. At first I assumed that its purpose was to purify the Kyūbi's Chakra so that Naruto can then use it, but that was incorrect. The Overseal was never meant to purify, but rather blend Naruto's and the Kyūbi's Chakras."

Jiraiya drew a circle within a circle.

"The innermost circle represents the Kyūbi," he said, writing the circle with the Kanji for 'fox'. "The outermost circle is Naruto," he continued, writing the Kanji for Naruto's name.

He then drew sixteen equidistant lines from the inner ring till halfway to the outer ring, before sketching small circles at the end of each line. He then connected the small circles to each other in pairs, before drawing another four small circles in between the pairs and the outer ring. He drew a line from two pairs to one of the four newer circles and then finally connected them to the outer ring.

"Imagine that the lines are like pipes that carry Chakra instead of water. The sixteen lines that extend from the Kyūbi are from the four Shishō Fūin seals that were first applied. The pairs of circles are where they connect to the Hakke Overseal. The sixteen individual lines form pairs, creating eight lines. Then those eight lines divide into pairs again to make four lines, and then they connect to Naruto."

He capped the marker and observed the council. To his relief none of them looked lost or confused.

"The sixteen pathways from the Kyūbi send its unfiltered Chakra towards Naruto. The first layer of the Overseal blends the Bijū's Chakra and Naruto's, and then proceeds to the second layer where the blended Chakras are further mixed before finally entering Naruto's Keirakukei."

Jiraiya walked towards the two infants at the centre of the chamber and gazed at Naruto for a moment.

"Now most Jinchūriki have large Chakra Reserves. This is because the Bijū are sealed into them at a young age most of the time, due to the fact that their Keirakukei is still flexible and has room to grow. Naruto is a unique case. His Keirakukei will be forced to expand at a very rapid rate because the seal is perfectly balanced. In the end I predict that Naruto's Chakra Reserves will exceed the level that is typically found in Jōnin before the age of ten."

Many of the council members whispered among themselves at this new revelation.

"And finally we have the Shiki Fūjin. The technique is extremely arcane in nature. This is because the user summons the Shinigami, and to complicate matters both of them gave their lives for it."

"Is that even possible?" Hyūga Hiashi asked, the head of the Hyūga clan. "Actually summoning a deity?"

"Yes," Sarutobi answered him before Jiraiya could. "Only those who sign a contract with the Shinigami will be able to see him. And invoking the technique results in the user's death, in which their soul will be eaten and reside in the belly of the Shinigami for eternity."

He motioned for his student to continue with his explanation.

"The seal that binds the Bijū within Naruto is strong, but it relies on the will of the container to hold the influence of the creature at bay. The issue of Naruto's mental stability is taken care of by the part of Minato that resides within him and the final Overseal that the Shinigami placed on top of the seal that was already there. The Shinigami's seal will degrade over time, but will provide additional protection to keep the Kyūbi from corrupting Naruto."

"What exactly did you mean when you said both of them gave their lives to the Shinigami?" Fugaku interjected. "How does that change the nature of the seal?"

"It means that Minato never split the Kyūbi in half, but sealed the entire Bijū into Naruto. With the seal that the child has, the Bijū's Chakra won't have a corrosive effect as bad as it would have been if the original seal was used. I might even say that the child will live well into his fifties before he succumbs to the corrosion."

Jiraiya bowed to the council and moved to stand near his teacher. The Sandaime raised his hand and silenced the chamber.

"Before any decisions are made we should all listen to Yakushi-san's findings," he suggested.

Hideo stood next to the projector and began to report his discoveries as he opened a folder with a variety of photos.

"Approximately three days ago Sarutobi-sama had brought in two newborn children to the hospital. He requested a private room and placed a full ANBU squad to guard them. He had informed me of their status as Jinchūriki and as such I made sure that proper measures were taken by assigning Hatake Kakashi and Maito Gai to care for them. I examined both children and found that they were perfectly healthy. Size, weight, response to stimuli, everything was as it should be. After that, was when I noticed they both had abilities beyond the norm."

Looking down at the children he collected his thoughts for a few moments. Both Naruto and Alto twisted and turned, their eyes gazing at everything in a sense of curiosity and wonder.

"I'm certain you all recall that during the attack the Kyūbi released a cloud of Chakra over the village. After extensive research and multiple autopsies, I believe I know what it is and how to counter it. I termed this special Chakra that the Bijū created as '_The Corruption_'. The Chakra has many effects which depend on what it comes into contact with."

He placed the first photo on the projector to be displayed on screen. It revealed the walls of a house with minor fire damage, but upon closer inspection one could see smears of a blood coloured substance as well.

"If it touches any inanimate object, the Chakra will in most cases simply combust, but sometimes it reverts into a gelatinous form that clings to any surface. If this substance comes into contact with any _living _object it then induces a variety of conditions. All of which are severe and result in _very _painful deaths if it is not immediately countered or treated."

Hideo gave a stern look at each member of the council.

"If any of you have weak stomachs, then I suggest you grab a bucket. What I'm about to show you is not pretty."

The next picture was a series of diagrams picturing a group of cells under the heading 'Necrosis'.

"Necrosis is when cells prematurely or are forced to die, and because of the way the cells die the immune system doesn't respond to it very well. Therefore the Necrosis will spread until the patient expires. Conventional medicine such as antibiotics and herbal remedies are useless. At best they will slow the process down. The only way to deal with it is to surgically remove the dead flesh. Doing so will then change the condition from Necrosis to an open wound. After that we can then treat the patient as we normally would, with Chakra Therapy."

He swapped the current slide with the next one. The image revealed the gruesome condition of what appeared to be someone's leg.

"The Corruption is very complex. When it encounters any living tissue it induces Necrosis. This shows a leg that was exposed to the Corruption. As you can see the black area is the flesh that died. In this situation the entire leg was infected. If this was a normal case of necrosis then it would be standard procedure to amputate the leg. Yet the necrosis induced by the Corruption is far from normal. Even with Chakra Therapy the necrosis continued until the patient died."

He paused. The look of failure and guilt could clearly be seen.

"This leg belonged to an eleven year old boy."

Many of the council members shivered. It wasn't the first time they had heard or seen the condition, but it was always dealt with swiftly and at best resulted in temporary relief from the field. To see such a progressed form of it and knowing that it was a child made them feel terrified.

"Necrosis is a tricky thing. It can spread very quickly if you let it. The Corruption that this child was exposed to was quite high and we weren't able to stop its advance. We had to amputate his leg, but the Corruption continued until he died."

The next picture Hideo showed revealed a man that seemed to have most of his skin peeled off.

"This man was unfortunate to have been hit with the Corruption that must have had full contact with his entire body. His skin started to peel away layer after layer making him extremely sensitive and vulnerable to infection from fungi and bacteria. His body swelled and in places like his eyes and mouth were so badly swollen we had to exorcise the flesh immediately to prevent his tongue from choking him or his eyes from exploding. We tried our best but he died before we could begin the Chakra Therapy."

The next photo appeared similar, but the woman's body was severely discoloured with pink to red bloody sections of skin and yellow to brown almost pus-like patches.

"This woman was in her fourth month of pregnancy and we were unable to save her. I'm not sure how, but the Corruption made her contract Necrotizing Fasciitis. Or as most of you would know as the Flesh-eating bacteria syndrome."

The members of the council reeled back in shock. They had seen enough of the disease during the Second and Third Shinobi World War. Many of the poisons used against Konoha's troops resulted in contracting the syndrome.

"I thought we'd seen the last of this. If it weren't for Tsunade, we would have lost a lot of men on the battlefields," Hiruzen commented. Many shook their heads in agreement.

"She died before we could even complete our examination. Most of the information was gleaned from the autopsy. I'm surprised she didn't die sooner considering that the Corruption had _liquidised _the child within her womb."

Tsume wanted to grab a bucket and puke. Many others felt the same, even to imagine such a thing was too much to bear.

Hideo placed one final picture to display. The patient was a man that appeared to be suffering from Gangrene.

"As you can see the patient has suffered from Necrosis long enough for it to progress to gangrene. His hands and toes are far gone with the 'dry' gangrene, shown by the 'mummified' parts of his body. The brown-yellow patches are the 'wet' gangrene where his blood vessels provide enough moisture for bacteria to grow and spread. Both of these conditions only affect the limbs. The rest of his body has Gas gangrene. From the moment we finished examining him, we knew it was far too late to do anything. The amount of flesh we would need to exorcise would be too much. We unanimously decided to euthanize the patient as painlessly as possible."

Hideo collected the photographs and placed a plastic sheet to draw on. The chamber was silent, not a single person spoke.

"If we didn't rush most of the villagers to the shelters, we would have suffered far more losses. The Corruption has a side-effect on any living thing with higher cognitive functions. It sends them into a frenzy, makes them act in brutal and violent ways. Jiraiya-sama can give his first hand report of his experience with the Corruption."

Jiraiya cleared his throat and continued from where Hideo had left.

"When the Kyūbi unleashed the cloud over Konoha I immediately made my way over as soon as I was able to. A small thread of it had touched my arm; it immediately felt as if my arm was set on fire. The next moment my mind was filled with the desire to do all sorts of terrible things. As long as I killed something it wouldn't matter."

"Wait," Shukaku called out. "If you were hit with the Corruption then how come you never needed to be hospitalised like the others?"

"I can explain that," Hideo stated. "The Corruption is nothing more than Chakra. It maintains a semi solid form because it is in very high quantity and quality."

He looked towards Hiashi and bowed. "I must thank you Hiashi-sama, because if it weren't for a pair of your clansmen then I would never have found a cure."

"Really?!" Hiashi exclaimed.

"A pair of your clansmen came to me as one of them was in the early stages of the plague. I examined him and confirmed that he was indeed infected. I asked the clansman that brought his sick friend to tell me what was happening within his body using the Byakugan. He told of the Corruption within the patient's Keirakukei, and that the patient's Chakra Reserves were depleting themselves to wipe out the foreign presence. It was only when the Corruption left the Chakra Veins and dispersed itself into the flesh that the necrosis started to set in. At that point I realised that the necrosis was not the primary cause of death, but instead the Corruption's takeover of the Keirakukei."

Hideo drew multiple pictures of cups, split into two columns. Each column had ten cups and in one column he circled the cups making five pairs. He then drew a line from each pair to one cup on the other column, leaving five cups untouched.

"The Corruption is Chakra-based and so it is actually very easy to counter. Imagine if Chakra can be measured like water. If one cup of the Corruption is poured on you, it will take two cups of your Chakra to cancel it out. This is why so many succumbed to the plague, because they ran out of Chakra to flush the Corruption out of their system."

He turned off the projector and moved to stand near Jiraiya.

"That's why the number of ninja killed by the Corruption was much lower than the civilians. They never had the Chakra Reserves to resist it. The Corruption had first overridden their minds which caused them to be excessively violent until their Chakra gives out. The next stage is the various forms of Necrosis that I presented."

Hiruzen stood up and addressed the Council.

"The Council will have a fifteen minute recess before resuming. I think we could all use the time to collect our thoughts."

The Council chambers emptied out save for four people. Danzō stood up and walked towards the two children.

"I wonder if it is truly wise to not inform the village of Naruto's heritage. It may alleviate the pain of being a Jinchūriki," he asked.

Jiraiya wiggled his fingers above both the children eliciting giggles of laughter from both of the boys.

"If Naruto's heritage is leaked out to Iwa, he'll be killed within the week. And to make it worse he's a host, they may even kidnap him and turn him into a weapon to use against us."

"I can't believe we actually pulled off the scheme," Sarutobi said as he rubbed his eyes tiredly. "The only part that confuses me is that you mentioned that Kushina's mission records actually support your theory."

A section of the wall quivered and Shinichi's clone appeared. Hideo was the only one to jump in surprise.

_I hate it when he does that._

"It was something that I was able to find when I ensured that there would be no contradictory evidence to counter Jiraiya's claim."

Jiraiya saluted Ishikawa before speaking.

"According to the records Kushina was hired to protect an art gallery in Tōkyō for a month. And as you all know the embassies of the foreign nations are all located in Tōkyō. The records show that she found no conflict during the mission, so she was essentially on a paid vacation."

Danzō tapped his cane on the floor to gather their attention.

"The only people who know about Minato's relationship with Kushina are in this room, with the exception of Shikaku and Inoichi. So there isn't a great need to worry right now."

"That's what worries me," Sarutobi sighed. "If we all die before the boys are ready to stand on their own, then the truth will never be known."

"Not true," Ishikawa countered. "If you look at Minato's mission record you will find that our Daimyō hired him to deliver a message to the Shogun and the Emperor. And they both reside in Tōkyō. Minato was in Tōkyō along with Kushina for at least a week. We can assume that that was probably the time when Naruto was conceived."

"It's certainly plausible and it matches the medical records, but it's still not solid." Hideo stated.

"I know," the Kageken replied. "That's why Danzō, Jiraiya, and I wrote the truth of it all and included our clever deception as well into a scroll. It has our three signatures, but we would need both yours and Sarutobi's to make it ironclad."

The Sandaime nodded. "Consider it done. Shikaku and Inoichi should probably add theirs as well."

Hiruzen rubbed his eyes again.

_This is going to be one hell of a mess._

"I'm certain that I'm going to hell for what we're being forced to do."

The three other occupants looked at the Sandaime with varying looks of sympathy.

"What we do tonight will haunt us every time we see these children get abused. To make matters worse, we'll be forced to turn a '_blind eye_' to it all. If the people hate them, we can play it off saying that they were simply born at the right time for the sealing. No one will suspect anything, but if we, the higher ups show an unusual interest in their wellbeing. Well, it may tip off any spies that there is more to them than meets the eye. We simply have to treat them as weapons until they are old enough to be recruited and are well within _our_ military jurisdiction."

Jiraiya saluted Shinichi before speaking.

"Perhaps it is best that all documents regarding these children be kept under lock and key. _Code Black Security_. The only people with clearance will be those directly involved. It will solidify the false reason that their parents were traitors. I will then leave the village and meet with my contacts; I'll spread information that we have Jinchūriki and that even as newborns they are capable of wiping out scores of people. It's really pushing the limits of bullshit, but it is the best I can do."

Shinichi nodded before giving his own input about the situation.

"It's the best we can do for now. The children will have to be placed in one of the orphanages, preferably one closest to the Pleasure District. The area is less prone to spies, no high class people go there unless it's to the House of Pleasures. And even then they come by palanquin to avoid the sight of the slums."

"Agreed," Hiruzen said. He motioned for them to return to their places and prepare for the next half of the meeting.

The council members returned from their recess looking calmer after the events of the first half.

"The council is now back in session. I believe that Yakushi-sama has some more information on the children," Hiruzen began, giving Hideo the chance to speak again.

"Both children display abilities that are beyond normal human standards. When I drew some blood for testing, I noticed that the puncture marks had healed instantly. There was no scarring at all to even show they were pricked with a needle."

Jiraiya interrupted before the hospital director could continue.

"I had mentioned before that Minato had sealed the entire Bijū into Naruto, but that is a half-truth. The reality is that all of the beast's Chakra resides in Naruto, but the mind, _the consciousness_, has been sealed in the other child, Alto."

The entire chamber burst into whispers. The history of demon-vessels was documented poorly, but there was enough information to know that splitting the beast from its power was never done before.

"Does that mean the child is simply the Kyūbi in human form?" Fugaku asked.

"No!" Hideo shouted. "Absolutely not!"

"Naruto's Keirakukei is already undergoing expansion as Jiraiya predicted. When I examined Alto, something _disturbing _was discovered. The boy has _no Keirakukei, no Chakra_."

"That's impossible! Everything has Chakra even animals and plants," Hiashi exclaimed. Activating his Byakugan he focused all his attention on Alto.

Hideo continued on with his report taking into account Hiashi's outburst.

"As I'm sure you've found out, the boy has no Keirakukei. I asked a Hyūga to look at him and he could not find any pathways for Chakra to travel. I then hypothesised that perhaps all of his Chakra was flowing into and saturating his body. If all the Chakra the body generates was to constantly flow into your blood, flesh, and bones, then it would explain why he heals just as fast as Naruto. So I asked for an Uchiha to examine him. While their eyes cannot see Chakra as detailed as the Byakugan, they can see the colours and general flow, but even they said that they could see not any Chakra."

Both Fugaku and Hiashi looked horrified at the idea that there existed such a child whose body held no Chakra at all.

"Alto, according to all our research about Chakra, shouldn't even be alive let alone exist. He's nothing short of a living miracle. I may not know how this is possible, but there is no doubt in my mind that both of the children are connected in some way. Jiraiya examined Alto for any seal markings and found none, not anywhere on his body. It is my firmest recommendation that if they are placed in an orphanage or are adopted, that they are to be together."

The next few minutes of the council meeting was spent deliberating over what would be the best course of action to take. A few more minutes went by before Hiruzen stood and called for silence.

"I believe the council will agree with me when I suggest that they be placed in an orphanage. I doubt that any of us have neither time nor resources to not only raise and care for them, but keep a strict watch on their behaviour at all times. As an added precaution, I hereby decree that no person of their generation is to be told the truth of their status. Failure to obey will be seen as an act of _treason _and any law breakers will be punished as such."

For a new law to be passed during times of relative peace, it is required that the law be passed by majority vote. The Kyūbi attack was still fresh in the minds of the people, and as such the village was under a state of Martial Law. When under Martial Law the Hokage has the power to create and enforce laws without the need of the voting process. The council members agreed with Hiruzen's judgment and each of them signed their names onto a scroll to show their agreement and to keep an official record of the law.

Hideo then carried the two children back to the hospital until the papers for their release into the custody of an orphanage was finalised. Hiruzen then proceeded to address other matters of importance.

"This attack has left us weakened. We need to spend quite a bit of money to restore the village to the way it once was. I will request the Daimyo for a temporary increase in our budget for a while, but even so the attack has no doubt turned away many from travelling here. As such we will have to provide some sort of incentive. Does anyone have any suggestions?"

"I have an idea," said Homura. "We could create a Civilian Council in which the members have _some_ authoritative powers. Their powers will obviously revolve around civilian concerns such as tourism and trade. As an added bonus they will have a voice in the Shinobi Council. While they may discuss matters of military nature alongside us, it is ultimately _our _decision. _We _still have the final say."

Hiruzen nodded and looked to the other members for any objections. There were none.

"I see that no one objects to the idea. Homura, Koharu, I leave the implementation of the Civilian Council to the both of you. Use whatever resources you feel are necessary to get it running as fast as possible. I don't wish to be a burden on our Daimyo."

The rest of the meeting was spent with each member giving their general report concerning their respective clans and assigning missions.

* * *

><p>For the first time since the attack Hiruzen stepped through the doors of his home.<p>

_Biwako would have been having dinner with me now._

Walking towards the kitchen he saw that on the dining table was his favourite food. Hijiki and sardine fish balls. They were cover with a plastic sheet and had a small note attached to it.

_I know that you've been working hard teaching Minato what it takes to be a good leader, so I made your favourite dishes. _

_Love, Biwako_.

The food was already spoiled after being untouched for a week. Hiruzen cursed himself; tears ran down across his face even though he told himself he wouldn't cry.

Dragging himself to the bedroom, he laid down without bothering to change his clothes. Tonight would be to first of many lonely, sleepless nights.

* * *

><p>Jiraiya packed his travelling supplies within a scroll.<p>

_Minato would kill me if he knew what we have done, but I promise to do whatever it takes to make sure he survives._

He shook his head, clearing out all thought of regrets.

"Yosh! I still have a book to be written and plenty of beautiful women to immortalise in the pages of literature."

Passing through the red gates of Konoha, Jiraiya walked forward with renewed strength and resolution.

* * *

><p>Shimura Danzō calmly drank the tea that was prepared by his servants. Shinichi's clone sat across from him, calmly reading the scroll that lay before him.<p>

"If this is true then Orochimaru is far more dangerous than we originally thought," Shinichi commented.

Danzō gave a long sigh before replying. "His experiments, which most ended in failure, are still dangerous. It appears that he has achieved a way of extending his life and has perfected his Cursed Seal."

Shinichi clenched his fists.

_Damn that bastard! Even now he still causes problems for us, and to hear that he's part of a terrorist group hell bent on capturing the Bijū._

"Keep in contact with him. At best it will let us keep an eye on his movements. Make deals if you must to solidify the false animosity between Sarutobi and yourself. I'm sure you can come up with a believable lie to convince him."

Danzō nodded and signalled his Root guard to make the proper arrangements.

"It appears we are no longer beneath the sun's light."

"Then we shall fight in the shade," Shinichi whispered, fading away into darkness.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: NOTE – Alltariss – <strong>Hopefully the new chapter sizes are much better for people to read then before.


	7. Chapter 6

**AN: NOTE – Alltariss –**

I've read a lot of fics that include gods/goddesses into their story. Most of the time they're the usually Japanese gods from the Shinto religion. The manga/anime of Naruto vaguely makes references to other nations and cultures and then never touches upon the subject ever again. This is made even worse since you see some of these foreigners in either a movie, or game, or filler episodes.

The NarutoVerse I created not only has the nation that Naruto and friends live in, but also a variety of other nations that were created to give those foreign characters a place to come from and some context to their behaviour and differences .

For example, where did all the characters that are of African descent come from? And why are they all situated in Kumo? And what about the guys that appeared in the second Naruto Movie "Legend of the Stone of Gelel" who wore Western styled armour? Where did they come from?

Masashi Kishimoto has never answered any of these questions as far as I am aware. I haven't found the answers in the manga, anime, or even the databooks. Thus, I created the context for their existence.

On the topic of religion, since there are multiple nations and varying cultures, I included more than just the standard Shinto gods and created a method by which they can function together. Without starting some sort of religious world war. All of this ties into the mechanics of the Verse and its fabric of reality.

**VERY IMPORTANT!**

This chapter makes references to the Multiverse Theory and as such the deities tend to behave in a somewhat modern fashion.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 6<strong>

**Devil Design**

* * *

><p>The fluted walls of the room were decorated with a repeating triskelion pattern. An imagery that was made by the equally repeating pattern of tomoe's in sets of three. The entire left side of the wall was covered by shelves of books, each volume decorated beautifully with gold letter engravings. Opposite was the fireplace which was currently providing the room with warmth of both temperature and lighting. Around the fire were a set of six chairs placed in a semicircle with equal distance between them.<p>

"So what are your thoughts regarding this issue?" Lucifer asked his guests.

He had gathered them all together for the purpose of forging an alliance. He had their friendship, but an alliance was an official pact that would ensure that he would have backup no matter what.

_Alto needs this. He survived with minimal assistance for now, but this is when the game really begins. No restarts or extra lives to be found here. If he dies he'll have to pay the price._

"How do we know that the man's master isn't just saying he'll conquer our realms as a figure of speech? He could simply want to assert himself as a conqueror of gods by making himself more powerful than us in the minds of the populace."

He turned to the woman and quickly replied. "Quite simple milady, I've met his master and he's a god just like us."

She paused and appeared in thought for a moment. Carefully considering his words, as in her opinion they held weight. In the end she nodded and waited for the others to answer the Devil's question.

Lucifer admired her constant questioning and evaluation of him. It proved to him that she took him seriously as not just an equal in terms of gods, but also as a friend and confidant.

_Not to mention that she's easy on the eyes. That's always a plus in my book!_

She was slim, but her hips were round and her legs had somewhat of a soft line to them. There was something voluptuous about her, like if she let herself go she would get fat. Her face clearly showed her Indian heritage as did her coffee skin, with a nose that broke high which went with the way she held herself. Her eyes were big, black, but levelled out straight which made them have a kind of sleepy, impudent look to them. Her lips were full and lipstick applied to them.

"Keep looking at me like that and Shiva will get pissed again," she said, adjusting the sari* she wore.

Lucifer laughed. "Like he did when I painted him red? Come on Kālī *, watching him rage so easily is _greatly_ amusing."

Kālī shook her head and sighed.

_How you survived his wrath I'll never know._

"If he is a god like us then we _can't_ move against him simply because he proclaims to one day overthrow us," said the man next to Kālī.

He was heavy built, something that could easily be seen as he was apparently wearing a shirt that was one size small. His chiselled face bore a grim expression. The wavy locks of his beard were outclassed by his medusa–like hair, with wild and thick locks. The charcoal colour of his curls made his milk-white skin seem even lighter.

"Until he actively makes a move against us we can't do much. He has to strike the _first blow_."

Kālī nodded in agreement. "Hades* is right. The law is clear when it comes to such things."

"Unless we _trick_ him into striking first," Loki* said, sitting next to the empty sixth seat.

Loki was trim figured, wearing a dark grey tailor-made suit. Sharp-featured, light-complexioned, and clean-shaven as always, his lips wore a smirk of dark mischief. He looked to the others whilst casually playing with a small strand of his hair which was slicked back.

"I'd prefer if we didn't have to kill some no-name god who probably has only a handful of patrons."

Loki pouted good-naturedly. "Why must you always ruin my fun, Apep?*"

Loki was as usual the laidback sort that preferred to delegate tasks to those under his influence. This includes a multitude of champions under his authority that each cause mischief with his blessing.

"Because Lucifer refuses to reign in your immaturity, _even worse_, he joins you on your mischief making."

Apep was of a sinewy build that was hidden beneath his loose hoodie. Clean-cut face with a five-o'clock shadow that blended with his copper skin, he seemed to be a mixture of youth and ruggedness.

He turned to Lucifer. "You showed us this particular memory and have spoken at length of this god's motives and plans, but we can't actively conspire against him without proof."

Lucifer nodded in agreement. "I understand your reasoning, and I agree with you."

All his guests turned to him with wide eyes.

"But you've spent all this time trying to convince us to declare war," Kālī said.

"I had to make sure that you all were at least considering the idea and realised its significance," Lucifer replied. "I'm very well aware of our own laws when it comes to declaring war, which is why I'll be showing you the proof required tonight."

Kālī leaned forward in anticipation. "So I'll finally get to know who our mysterious guest is." She gestured to the empty seat.

"Yes, I've been wondering about that myself," Hades said.

Lucifer chuckled. "I'm surprised you'd say that considering you know him _very_ well."

"Hades, how could you? You've been in cahoots with Lucy this entire time!" Loki exclaimed.

Hades turned to the Norse god in comical confusion. "Huh? What, I don't who he's talking about."

"Let me give you a hint," Lucifer said, with a devilish smirk. "Time."

All of the gods thought about his words. Each one wondering who it could be, but only Hades figured it out. His face paled as snow as he realised _exactly_ who the Devil was referring to.

"Fuck me," Hades moaned, his head in his hands.

"I believe that's Persephone's* job."

They all turned to see the mystery guest.

He had a robust body which was surprising since he looked quite old. Weathered and rough faced, his grey hair was mostly straight with only a few broad curls.

Lucifer rose to greet him and the two shook hands. "It is good to see you again, Cronus*."

Hades simply sat with his head in his hands, unable to believe what was occurring.

"Cronus? Isn't he supposed to be locked away?" Kālī questioned, looking to Hades.

"Ha! My sons are strong, but they're _billions_ of years away from outsmarting me."

Cronus took his seat next to Loki. His face seemed to have a permanent smile as he observed his son's embarrassment. Loki was laughing aloud at Hades, Apep was shaking his head at this latest debacle, and Kālī was as usual simply curious.

"How long were you out of your prison?" Kālī asked.

Cronus stroked his beard in thought for a moment. "I'm not entirely sure. I never knew how time flowed in Tatarus, but I know it wasn't very long. I've been out for quite a while."

He looked to Hades and smirked. "I do know for sure that Hades was _well aware_ of my escape."

Loki laughed outrageously, banging the arms of his chair before attempting to speak. "By the All-Father! You _never_ told your brothers about his escape? How have you kept this hidden all this time?"

Lucifer was the one to answer that question. "He couldn't because then they'd think that Tatarus is an ineffective place to keep the damned. And Zeus is known to be unforgiving when handing out punishments."

Hades lifted his head and slammed his palms on the arms of his chair. "I had no choice! I told them that Tatarus couldn't hold our father, but would they listen? _No_!"

He waved his arms in a grandiose gesture. "I'm the King of Olympus, I can _never_ be wrong! I'm the Lord of all Waters, none is _greater_ than I!"

He sank back down further into his chair and heaved a great sigh. "I knew that father would break out eventually. Mother told us as such, but since when has _either_ of my brothers ever listened to reason?"

Cronus gave a sympathetic look towards his son. "To be honest it wasn't your fault that Tatarus couldn't hold me. As far as I know it's a great place to keep the damned, but not so good for those who stand on equal grounds to gods."

Apep clapped his hands, gathering the attention of everyone. "If we can get back to the issue at present that would probably be best."

Lucifer nodded and turned to Cronus. "I spoke at length about our problem and Cronus here has the proof needed to appease the laws."

The room quieted as they all waited for the answers they sought for. The titan of time leaned forward to continue where Lucifer left off.

"The god's name is Chaos, and I know that it sounds as if he's just like any other low level cult-born god. Except that he has somehow got his hands on the Words."

The group of gods each reeled back in shock. Loki looked serious as opposed to his usual jovial self. The Norse trickster immediately responded.

"If that's the case then we should eliminate him. It's one thing for a popular god to gain power, and _then_ obtain the Words. In Lucifer's case he had plenty of power, but had to be accepted into the higher echelons of the hierarchy before he could obtain the _right_ to wield Words. It's not a good thing if they're only an obscure god who can't handle the power of the Words."

"Exactly," Apep agreed. "If a person who isn't strong enough to wield the Words then he could wipe out entire universes at a time."

Cronus clapped his hands to gather everyone's attention. He looked at each one of them as if to ascertain their capabilities.

"This isn't going to be easy," he said. "I have observed him personally and have come to the conclusion that he intends to destroy the True-Verse."

"Is he _insane_?!" Hades exclaimed. "Doing that would wipe out all of the universes. It would kill us all!"

"We should inform the rest of the hierarchy. _Surely_ they would assist us in destroying him."

Kālī elicited a negative response from Lucifer.

"They won't do anything," he replied through gritted teeth. "They'll never accept the words of Cronus, and you can be sure that Zeus will care more about his father being free than a god trying to kill us all."

Kālī crossed her arms in frustration and huffed. "Why wouldn't they? This isn't something that anyone would make a joke about, or worse, cry wolf."

"It's because Chaos has covered all his tracks hasn't he?"

Everyone looked to Apep. He was speaking directly to Cronus who looked anywhere except at them.

"Exactly how do you know for _sure_ that this Chaos guy is going to attack the True-Verse?"

The titan leaned back and sighed tiredly. "I tricked him into thinking I was an ally."

Loki snapped his fingers and had an expression of realisation.

"Of course! As a person who escaped Tatarus and was sent there by his own children, Chaos would think you'd do anything to get revenge."

Then the Norse god had a look of bewilderment.

"Although I'm surprised that Chaos would be stupid enough to actually believe that you would assist him in a plan that would result in your own death."

Cronus gave a derisive snort. "If there's one thing I know from watching him, it's that he lacks any normal methods of thinking. He's _insane_, but that simply means he won't conform to normal behaviour patterns."

Lucifer nodded. "And because of that he tends to make mistakes, and those mistakes are what we can use to our advantage."

"How so?" Kālī asked.

Lucifer opened his mouth to answer but Cronus beat him to it.

"He tried to use the Words but nearly ended up killing himself so he isn't eager to try it again. Instead he's causing chaos by using champions to wreck world after world, in verse after verse."

"So essentially living up to his name?" Apep asked.

"Pretty much," Cronus replied.

Lucifer cleared his throat, gathering their attention. "Which is why I've chosen a champion to attack his own agents in various worlds. My champion will need help not in the form of other champions, but rather support from all of you, to help guide him on his quest."

All of the gods were surprised by this startling news. It was well known amongst them that Lucifer preferred to do things personally. Proof of this was his 'Faustian Bargains' that he makes with mortals for amusement. This was the first instance that Lucifer had ever chosen a champion.

"And who exactly is this lucky individual whom you've selected?" Kālī asked with great enthusiasm.

_He actually decided to get a champion. After all these years of Loki and I pestering him to find one._

"His name is Alltariss although he prefers to be called Alto," Lucifer answered, hoping that they wouldn't ask any more questions.

Unfortunately for the Devil, Kālī could sense his apprehension and continued with her line of questioning.

"What exactly makes him so _special_ that you chose him? You've always avoided champions like the plague and now you just suddenly decide to get one? I'm not buying it."

Lucifer licked his lips nervously as he answered. "He was simply one of the demons I created a long while back, nothing really exceptional."

"Bullshit," Loki sang mockingly. "You did something didn't you? Something to make this Alto fellow more to your liking."

Loki's question made him gulp audibly.

"You may as well come clean, Lucifer. Hiding the truth will only make things worse," Cronus suggested.

Lucifer clenched his hands into fists, his eyes focused on the floor.

"Fine," he relented. "I shared my blood with the boy."

The following silence was thunderously loud to him. He felt as if time suddenly stretched itself, making each second elongate into years.

Apep was the first to find their voice. "You…actually did that? It would make the boy connected to you, even after death until you decide to take your blood back."

"I know that this crisis is more important than anything we've faced before, but to share blood is a bond that one makes after much consideration is taken." Kālī whispered.

She was worried for Lucifer. She knew very well how he acts in both public and private. Lucifer was the type of person who would pursue a goal with an unshakable faith in himself, and would go to lengths others would shy away from. To share blood with a mortal is to create a bond much alike the one shared between a god and their children. Specifically the bond between a demigod and the god parent, their lives would be entwined for as long as the bond held.

"The bond has had some unforseen effects on Alto," Lucifer continued, tentatively. "He looks like me and shares some of the same qualities."

"That isn't supposed to happen," Loki said, looking perplexed. "The bond only establishes a connection on a spiritual level; it doesn't change anything else other than the strength of the bonded soul. The body remains untouched by the connection."

Lucifer nodded in agreement. "I suspect it's because of the previous connection that Alto and I share."

Hades mumbled to himself before speaking his theory to the group.

"The bond between the creator and created is what caused the changes. The boy was already one of your creations. There was already a bond between the two of you and the sharing of blood not only created a new bond, but also amplified the pre-existing bond."

"A sound explanation until further investigation," Kālī replied. "This is something that could alter the laws regarding champions."

"We can discuss the effects of the bond later," Cronus stated. "Right now we need to know if everyone is in agreement that Chaos has to be dealt with."

The titan waved his hand and an image of a planet appeared before them. The globe was mostly blue with large continents spread around the world. It was clear from the shape of the land masses that it was not Earth.

"Chaos will strike at this world next," he explained. "This world doesn't appear to be any different from countless other worlds that we as gods create."

His tone and visage suddenly became serious as the image of the planet changed into a world that was nothing but scorched earth.

"What Chaos is seeking is a set of artefacts called the Cards of Fate and the Cards of Destiny."

Each of them looked confused; turning to each other hoping one of them knew what the artefacts were.

"I can assume none of you have heard of such things, which is normal judging by the look on your faces."

The image shifted and dispersed into nothingness with a wave of his hand as he continued his explanation.

"What I'm about to tell you is a secret that you must _never_ reveal to anyone without the consent of us all," he said, stressing its importance. "The artefacts aren't something that was created by any god or goddess that we know of or recorded in the archives. They're objects that are apparently older then the True-Verse."

Kālī laughed derisively. "An impossibility! There was no mass before the True-Verse, therefore such a thing couldn't be possible. Even the gods of time including _you_ have confirmed such."

Cronus nodded in agreement. "I know that," he conceded. "But these artefacts contradict that theory."

"How can you be so _sure_?" Kālī questioned. "The only reason anyone would believe such a thing is if… is if…"

Cronus smiled. "Is if they had one of the artefacts."

"Where is it?" Apep asked, leaning forward with a slightly eager disposition.

"I have implanted it within the boy, Alto," Cronus replied. "The boy can use the artefact as a weapon against any agents that Chaos sends against him."

"Exactly what power do the artefacts give to the person that wields them?" Loki asked. "Judging by the names I can assume that they enable one to mess around with time in some capacity."

Cronus shook his head. "I honestly have no idea, that's why I implanted them in the boy to begin with. I hope to observe him and see what they do, the last thing I want is to mess with something that could cause massive damage."

The Norse god nodded in agreement and looked to Lucifer who was looking rather peaked.

"Are you alright Lucy?" he asked.

"I'm just worried about Alto. He's got a good head on his shoulders, but…"

Lucifer didn't know what to say. Or think for that matter. He had met with Cronus on several occasions regarding Chaos, but even with all the titan's assurances that things would work out he couldn't help but worry.

"Ah yes," Loki said, knowingly. "I'd forgotten what it felt like when you first get a champion. You feel so attached to them."

He smiled at him reassuringly. "Relax, it's normal to feel the way you do."

"So what is this world that the boy is going to?" Apep asked.

Cronus adjusted himself in his chair taking a more relaxed posture.

"It's a strange world. I've never quite seen one like it," he started. "It's a world that has a blend of old and new. I'm not sure who created it, but I think it's a naturally generated world."

"Really?" Hades exclaimed. "Those are not common, but neither rare. And you're sure the artefacts are in that world?"

His father nodded. "I'm certain of it. I believe that these artefacts are all located on natural generated worlds. The pieces that I found were located only on those types of worlds."

"Pieces?" Kālī asked. "Exactly how many pieces of these artefacts are there?"

Cronus shrugged his shoulders in response. "Unknown, but we can't afford to let Chaos get his hands on them. No matter the cost."

* * *

><p>Kālī, Loki, Apep, and Hades left Lucifer's house to return to their respective homes. The Devil returned to his library and collapsed into his chair exhausted.<p>

"Did we do the right thing?" he asked.

"They can't know the _real_ details," Cronus answered. "Do you really expect me to tell Hades that I'm not really his father, that I'm just using his body as a vessel?"

"No, I suppose not." Lucifer sighed. "Now about the world I just sent Alto to…"

"I created it." Cronus replied.

"Just like that?" Lucifer questioned, giving him a sceptical look. "You didn't happen to base it on something? Every god bases the worlds they create on something. Most of the time it's based around some simple concept."

The titan remained silent and preferred to look anywhere except at the Devil.

"I know you spent a lot of time collecting all sorts of things from the True-Verse."

Cronus relented with slack shoulders and gave in to his friend's interrogation.

"I've been reading a lot of manga lately and I thought I would create a world based on one."

Lucifer blinked, and blinked again.

"Are you telling me that you built an entire world based on some manga a person made in the True-Verse?"

Cronus nodded. "We can't let Chaos mess around with worlds that the other gods built, because their worlds are built for worship. If he destroys those worlds it would weaken the gods substantially."

He walked towards the seat closest to the fireplace and sat down.

"So what is this manga that you built this world based on?"

He snapped his fingers and summoned a small book. He tossed to Lucifer and leaned back into his chair.

"Naruto, a world of ninjas and Chakra?"" Lucifer pondered. "Are you fucking kidding me?!"

He closed his eyes and focused his mind to scour the True-verse for all details about the manga, utilising the power held within the Words. The information was slightly disturbing to him.

The Devil gave a look of disbelief. "You have _way_ too much time on your hands if this is what you read from the True-Verse. Please tell me that this world based on the manga isn't exactly like the book."

Cronus looked affronted. "I'll have you know that the manga is quite cool. You'd be surprised by what the humans can come up with. They no longer believe in god like they used too, but their imagination is top-notch. It's perfect for people like us because _we_ actually have the power to bring these worlds to life."

Lucifer was less than pleased. "A world in which a traitor is never held accountable for his crimes? Where he is simply forgiven because he said sorry? A world where people can really be _that_ stupid? Or clueless? It's a tale meant for kids, where everything is black and white. It's a fucking mess!"

"Relax," Cronus pleaded, raising his hands in surrender. "I didn't create the world _exactly_ as it's depicted in the book. I altered it to make it far more real. After all we're dealing with _real souls_, who need a world in which there is no black or white, but an infinite shade of grey."

Lucifer took a deep breath to calm himself before speaking.

"You better hope this works or we're in _deep shit_. I won't let my champion turn into an idiot incapable of killing someone, because it's not _family friendly_. And did you even consider that Alto will bond with these characters?"

Cronus scratched his head. "I'm not sure what you mean?"

Lucifer wanted to bang his head against the wall.

"Alto will learn to care for these people, even love them. At some point he may bond with them, binding their destiny together."

"I fail to see what's exactly bad with that," the titan replied, still confused.

"Let's assume he bonds with this Naruto kid," Lucifer started. "Eventually we would reveal ourselves to Alto and Naruto and enlist their help against Chaos. By allowing them to know that they are agents of gods, they can perform their duties for us much better. _But_…"

He raised a hand to his forehead to stem the impending headache.

"How do you explain to Naruto that he's actually a character from some manga a guy wrote? That his existence not natural, that him and his entire Verse is a fabrication. A result of a god who had far too much time on his hands. That unlike everyone else, he was _never real to begin with_."

Cronus blinked a few times with wide eyes, before his jaw dropped in shock.

"Shit…"

* * *

><p><strong>Explanations for Japanese culture and certain ideasconcepts that I have used, as well as words/terms/names used.**

**Sari** – A sari or shari, is an Indian and Bangladeshi female garment that consists of drape varying from two to nine yards in length and two to four feet in breadth that is typically wrapped around the waist, with one end draped over the shoulder, baring the midriff. There are a LOT of different styles of sari and some are worn in specific circumstances.

**Kālī** – Kālī, also known as Kālikā, is a Hindu goddess. Kālī is the Goddess of Time and Change. She is sometimes depicted as dark and violent, in some cases as a figure of annihilation of evil forces.

**Hades** – Hades is the ancient Greek god of the underworld. According to myth, he and his brothers Zeus and Poseidon defeated the Titans and claimed rulership over the cosmos, ruling the underworld, air, and sea, respectively.

**Loki** – In Norse mythology, Loki, is a god or Jötunn (or both). Loki is the father of Hel, the wolf Fenrir, and the world serpent Jörmungandr.

**Apep** – Apep or Apophis is depicted as an evil god in ancient Egyptian religion. Often depicted as a snake/serpent and a dragon, and as the deification of darkness and chaos.

**Persephone** – In Greek mythology, Persephone, is the daughter of Zeus and the harvest-goddess Demeter, and queen of the underworld. Persephone was abducted by Hades, the god-king of the underworld.

**Cronus** – In the most classic and well known version of Greek mythology, Cronus or Kronos was the leader and the youngest of the first generation of Titans, divine descendants of Gaia, the earth, and Uranus, the sky. He overthrew his father and ruled during the mythological Golden Age, until he was overthrown by his own son Zeus and imprisoned in Tartarus.


	8. Chapter 7

**AN: Author Note – Alltariss –** I always wondered about the fics that have Naruto grow up abused and still have that happy-go-lucky attitude. They never explain if it's because of brain damage or something else. And I hate those that use that 'Mask' plot device. You don't need to pretend to be a retard to appear weak and stupid. It's very rare to find a fic that pulls it off very well.

This chapter reveals a lot of information regarding the history of the nation that Naruto lives in and also some details about the various factions that exist within it. The historical aspects hold great significance since it is the deeds of the past that gave birth to the evils of today.

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><p><strong>Chapter 7<strong>

**Whispers of a Red Dawn**

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><p>The Great Five Hidden Villages had a solid relationship with the Shogunate and the Emperor. Each village swears their allegiance to them in return for the right to operate autonomously. The relationship was further solidified after the infamous Western Rebel Invasion. The ability to function and govern itself under its own laws, rules, and regulations was a privilege that every village valued and respected.<p>

The Yakuza began as a small clan that had many operations in the criminal underworld. In the latter years of the Sengoku Jidai(Warring States Period) they accumulated more power by establishing themselves as mercenaries and spies to the highest bidder. In the current era the Yakuza are the primary source of crime throughout the nation of Nihon. With agents in every province, city, and town, it is no surprise that they rule the criminal underworld.

Ishikawa Shinichi was trained to see through layers if deception and sift through the lies to reach the truth. His master imparted a lifetime of knowledge and skills into him in the hope that he would surpass his predecessors. In the end Ishikawa was a deceiver who was rarely, if ever, deceived.

Within the Yakuza was a select group of agents whose purpose is to oversee certain aspects of the criminal underworld. These agents have under their purview a variety of operations that they oversee personally for the clan. Each of these agents are the leaders of their respective areas of criminal expertise. Among those who frequent the dark underworld of crime these individuals are known as the Yakuza Nine.

Among the Nine is the Master of Death, Oka Souta. The Yakuza have many contacts and sponsors within both the political and military arena, but the ninja forces are one commodity that they have failed to enter due to the majority of the ninja forces comprising of military clans and families. This is due to the fact that most members of these families have been ninja for generations. The Master of Death's responsibility is to act a liaison between the Yakuza and the Ninja.

Ishikawa held in a sneeze for the nth time as he watched from the tree branch.

_Curse this Kami-damned rain._

He had observed the estate for three weeks, probing its defences in search for the slightest weakness to exploit. For those who exist among the higher echelons of the Yakuza hierarchy, it is a standard practice to keep work _very_ separate from home. Their bases of operation have high-grade security systems and manned by large security forces. To enter such a location would be akin tempting the Shinigami to devour your soul.

The estates where their families reside in are another matter entirely. The security force should be appropriately renamed as an ex-ninja mercenary unit. The security system is the best one can buy from the West, in addition to any other security system created by ninja.

_If I was tempting the Shinigami before, then I'm insane to go through with this. This is dressing myself up in sushi and serving myself to him on a silver platter._

The estate was located in the city of Akita a certain distance away from the main city. The city centre was an assortment of markets each accommodating to certain goods. The housing that surrounded the markets were mostly apartments with many luxuries provided either as part of the home or as a community shared one. For any merchant clan with wealth and reputation lived in clan estates located on the outer ring of the city.

Oka Souta's family estate was located off the beaten path and well within the forest that surrounded the city outskirts. With primary walls attached to roofed walkways that enclosed the compound, it was able to easily accommodate the mercenary unit of twenty.

Ishikawa had spent much of his time observing the men and women who guarded the walls of the estate. He had noticed that at no point was there a blind spot. Unlike regular security forces they didn't waste time chatting or doing any unproductive activity. It was a testament to their discipline and skill.

_As well has how deep Souta's pockets are…_

Each of them were dressed in military standard black fatigues over which they wore armoured flak-jackets which was a rarity. The jackets would have steel plates woven over the standard material to provide additional protection against physical attacks. Some had weapons such as swords and knifes, one even carried a kusarigama(chain and sickle). The flak-jackets also had several scroll pockets at the front and had clips on the back for attaching small packs. The additional packs they carried were marked with standard symbols that Ishikawa recognised.

_Armour, scrolls, medic, and survival packs… These guys must be paid a fortune. No wonder they do their duty with such diligence. Not even the Daimyō's guards would be this well-funded._

He knew that he could most likely take on the unit and come out on top if he resorted to using _every_ trick in his arsenal. Yet doing so would also result in the entire estate being reduced to ashes. Such an event was out of the question, this was a mission that would require a delicate touch.

_Subtlety, guile, and an unshakeable determination is what I'll need to get this done without a scratch._

In the three weeks he stalked the area he had noticed a bear that would occasionally try to get inside the estate since it was attracted by the smell of food. The grand party that Souta held for his son's birthday had only increased the animal's curiosity and determination. The guards used small fireworks that would give both a bright flash and a loud bang to scare it away. Even so the bear would keep coming back every few days.

Ishikawa noticed that every time the bear reached a certain distance towards the walls the guard would instantly know its exact position, even when they had no line of sight and could obviously not see it.

_Yet again, more proof that Souta's pockets are exceptionally deep._

Chakra Security Systems are heavily regulated and cost a fortune to maintain. The seals themselves are crafted by a Master Sealist and no one lesser than the master rank would perform such a task. The designs and schematics are easy to decipher for any competent practitioner of Fuinjutsu, but it was for a good reason that only masters would dare attempt such a thing.

The seals require Chakra in order to function and while it is possible to hire people to constantly charge the seals it would be far too expensive for what it's worth. Thus the seals are designed to draw from Chakra in the surrounding environment. While it sounded perfect on paper, it had its own set of problems.

Having a single security system in an area would be acceptable. The environment would easily compensate for the Chakra used by the seals, but if many systems were in place then the surroundings would not be able to restore the Chakra taken as quickly as it can replenish itself.

_That is what led to the destruction of Rōran. The entire place is a Dead Zone, completely devoid of Chakra._

Since that incident the Shogunate and the Imperial Family implemented a series of laws and regulations designed to prevent overuse. To install and maintain such a security system requires more money than most could afford. Even wealthy merchant clans couldn't afford such a thing.

The knowledge that Souta had such a system installed made Ishikawa's mission increase in difficulty tenfold. The objectives were to infiltrate the premises, grab the information, and get out. Now such tasks seemed to be impossible to complete.

Ishikawa took note that there was a range of roughly a hundred metres from the walls that would alert the guards if anything entered the detection field. He knew that he wouldn't be detected so long as he never touched the ground, and was infinitely grateful that there were plenty of trees near the walls that he could hide in.

He had noticed that the only moment where security would present a weakness was when the bear would appear. A team of four would leave the wall scare the bear away. It seemed excessive to send four men, but the point was to simply scare the creature away, not kill it. It would seem easier to kill the creature in order to eliminate the recurring problem, but that had consequences.

The land of Nihon had many spirits and supernatural creatures. Many temples and shrines are devoted to such things and every person paid the proper respects to them. It is commonly believed that the storms that destroyed the invading fleets of the Mongols were brought about by the spirits of the land. Thus it is considered taboo to disrespect the heavenly beings. Killing the bear for simply being curious could anger the spirits of the forest. The last thing the guards would want is to face the fury of a spirit.

The sky was dark and the stars shined across the night. This was the best chance to get inside the compound. Ishikawa watched and waited as a thick cloud slowly moved to obscure the full moon. The torches provided minimal light, just enough to get the job done. He was surprised that Souta spent a fortune on the guards and security systems, but would have such cheap lighting.

_A mistake that you'll regret once I'm done._

The torches were protected from rain, but not from wind. The method for sneaking into the estate relied on Ishikawa's ability to perform Fūton(Wind Release) ninjutsu. A difficult task considering that he lacked the affinity for it.

Prior to nightfall he had hunted a rabbit and used its blood to hopefully lead the bear to the edge of the detection field. It was to his satisfaction that his plan worked and the bear could be seen sniffing the trail of blood. He waited and was rewarded by seeing four of the guards leave the walls of the estate to deal with the animal.

Ishikawa quickly leapt from tree to tree until he was in the one closest to the walls. Only ten metres separated him from the wall, a small distance for those trained as a ninja. His hands immediately performed a number of hand-seals and focused his Chakra as he took a deep breath.

"Fūton: Kami Oroshi (Wind Release: Godly Wind from the Mountain)"

He exhaled slowly releasing a strong gust and guided it upwards before he made more hand-seals. The column of wind widened and flattened as he brought it back down at a descending angle.

The wind made the flaming torches flicker to the point where they appeared to temporarily go out. Without a moment of hesitation, Ishikawa leapt onto the wall and climbed over the railing. The wind began to die making the torches disperse light once more. He swiftly leapt over the other railing and attached himself to the wall with Chakra.

He waited, for a moment, then another, and another. It seemed clear that he had made it into the compound without alerting any of the guards or arousing any suspicion. He was surprised that he hadn't set off any alarms by touching the walls.

_Seems even your pockets have limits to how deep they are._

Ishikawa knew that the walls could have been rigged with the same detection field as the outer grounds, but was willing to risk it. He used the gift he inherited from his master to observe and found no seals attached to the walls.

The rain was a blessing in disguise as the sounds of rainfall allowed him to move more freely without worrying about making noise. He activated his master's gift and observed his surrounding once more.

_Could this bastard's home be any more ostentatious?_

The garden was similar to the Zen gardens found in temples. There were large and small stones within sand boxes that were shaped using the rake nearby. A small stone-paved path leading to the pond was decorated on both sides by flowerbeds. The pond he had noticed was connected to the small artificial stream that used its own seals to function. Majority of the garden consisted of rare decorative plants.

_This garden alone must have costed enough to fund a private military force._

Ishikawa noticed that Souta had indeed installed electrical security systems from the West. They were very expensive and required that one have trained staff available to watch over it. Security cameras were relatively new technology for the nation of Nihon. The ability to record events and play them back sounded very useful for those seeking to protect their investments.

_A pity that any competent ninja worth his salt can easily bypass such an obstacle._

He deactivated his gift and slowly observed the garden for multiple points of entry. At the beginning of the stream was a store room with a raised wooden pathway that lead into the rest of the house. He slowly walked along the wall until the storeroom was within leaping distance, before bounding towards it and quickly entered it through the open window.

The rain had thoroughly soaked him to the bone. His clothes clung to him and water dripped noisily as it hit the hardwood floor. Ishikawa clapped his hands together and focused his Chakra into the water all around him. Soon all the moisture in the air and the water that clung to him rose and formed a sphere that floated mid-air.

He kept it floating as he silently opened the door and closed it behind him after bringing the water outside. He moved it near the ground before cutting off the Chakra thereby letting it fall with minimal sound. Now he was dry and could infiltrate the house without fear as the only inhabitants were Souta's family and their servants.

The house appeared to be three stories high from the outside, but the home had five floors. Three above ground and the rest below.

_Naturally the information I need in the lowest level._

The family were having dinner at the moment and thus the servants were all working near the dining room and the kitchen. He made his way into the closest room to find a bedroom with toys strewn about.

_His children's room. Even the toys cost a fortune… Does Souta even know how to save money?_

Making his way into the room opposite to him revealed Souta's bedroom. Ishikawa was getting restless, he needed to find what he needed and leave quickly.

_The longer I stay here the chances of being found rises and worse, I may unknowingly leave evidence of my intrusion. Why didn't I use it to scout the entire place again? Oh right, because a true shinobi wouldn't rely such a thing. Damn my code of conduct!_

Fortunately the next room he entered was Souta's office. To the left of door was a stairway leading to the lower levels. Without waiting, Ishikawa walked down the steps until he reached the barracks of the guards.

The barracks was furnished with bunk-beds and tables. The tables had empty bowls of food and weapons lying about. With a cursory glance Ishikawa ascertained that the living quarters were vacant and thus safe to enter. Making his way to the other end of the room was a difficult task.

The room had eight security cameras each equally spaced from one another for maximum coverage. The key to fooling security cameras was using Genjutsu. Normal Genjutsu relied on affecting the targets senses and fooling them into believing something different from reality. Unfortunately security cameras were inanimate objects and had no senses to manipulate, but that didn't mean one couldn't fool them.

Another form of Genjutsu was to create an illusion through the bending of light. Such a form of Genjutsu meant everyone would be affected by it instead of having to individually capture multiple targets in separate illusions. The reason many never learnt such techniques was because they were taxing.

Ishikawa closed his eyes as he focused, bringing as much Chakra as he could control to the surface of his skin. He had used his master's gift more than he would have liked, but now he felt annoyed because he would be using the gift he stole from the original Kageken.

Colour bled from his sight leaving only monochromatic shades. He expanded the Chakra an inch wider from his skin before commanding it to bend and warp around him. Now if one were to look at him they would see nothing.

"Ninpō: Meimei(Ninja Art: Divine Dark Invisibility)."

With careful deliberation he slowly made his way through the barracks until he reached the stairs leading to the lower level. After ensuring he was out of sight from any camera he relinquished his hold of the technique. The door that stood before him seemed quite plain in appearance, with the exception of the seal array that adorned it.

Red-painted and with a single door knob, it would be normal for one to simply assume that it lacked any protections. Unfortunately, the seals that were painted all over it prevented anyone except Souta from opening it.

He observed the Overseal for a few moments. It was a spiral encased in a circle with a web of illegible cursives branching outwards. He knew this design very well, the one used by the Uzumaki clan before they died out. Many still used it falsely proclaiming they were taught by an Uzumaki clansman.

_Only one person has truly studied under a Uzumaki Sealist, and he was member of the Legendary Sannin(Three Ninja)._

Jiraiya had the privilege of being taught Fuinjutsu by an Uzumaki, after showing great talent for the art. Uzumaki Mito imparted much of the basics into him, but never revealed any knowledge that was exclusive to her clan. Thus, Jiraiya had clawed his way to the highest rank on determination, talent, and ingenuity.

What is unknown by many is that Sealist's tend to specialise in certain fields of Fuinjutsu. The Nidaime Hokage, Senju Tobirama, had great interest in the manipulation of space and time which eventually led to the creation of the Hiraishin technique. Jiraiya on the other hand had chosen to focus on archiving methodology. His skill at encryption and decryption were legendary amongst code-breakers in every village far and wide.

Ishikawa knew that there was a chance that the Sealist who inscribed the seal array on the door could be Jiraiya. If it was then he was in good fortune, as he knew a secret that only those with Code Black Clearance could ever know. Within every seal that Jiraiya creates for any client who hires him is a hidden switch that would instantly disable it.

Ishikawa charged the tip of his finger with Chakra and began to tap in a number of spots on the Overseal in a very particular sequence. It was Morse Code combined with knowing the right places to touch for each part of the secret phrase.

_The frog who dwells at the bottom of the well, knows not the grand ocean._

With a slight pulse of Chakra and a miniscule glow, the seal faded from sight leaving the door open for the infiltrator.

_Well what do you know? Even Souta buys Jiraiya's services. A blessing in disguise, a heavenly boon from Kami! If you hired him for your secrets then the others probably have as well._

Entering the room revealed rows of shelves all filled with documents and scrolls. Each shelf was numbered by date making Ishikawa's job much easier.

_The Kyūbi Event happened three weeks ago…_

He found the correct shelf and to his delight every document was well ordered to lessen the time taken to search for something. He theorised that if the Yakuza truly knew about the event then they would have had heard it from Souta.

_The mysterious attacker who unleashed the Bijū upon the village would either have contacted Souta personally, or through an intermediary. Either way Souta would have been contacted a week after the news spread of the event which was a few days after it took place._

He sifted through a few files but found nothing pertaining to the event. He picked up another file after a cursory glance and was about return it back where it was found, but paused when he noticed the embossed symbol on it. It was a fluffy cloud, which seemed to indicate a file relating to Kumogakure(Village Hidden in Clouds), but the design was completely different from the one used on Kumo headbands. He paused to recall all the different factions that he knew used clouds as their symbol.

_Kumo is obvious. Another possibility is the Flight Unit from Iwa, it could even be remnants of ninja from Soragakure(Village Hidden in the Sky)._

Somewhere in the depths of his thoughts he knew that there was something missing. A crucial piece of the puzzle that was needed to solve the mystery. His mind wandered to reports previously read in his past, hoping to remember what it is that he needed. Suddenly he recalled a report he had read from Danzō.

_The Akatsuki(Dawn/Daybreak) organisation that rose in rebellion against Salamander Hanzō. Their symbol is a red cloud._

Ishikawa couldn't figure out why Souta would have a file on the rebel faction. The Akatsuki were made of self-trained ninja, only some were actually Chūnin(Middle Ninja) in skill level. They were a small group that sought to take over Amegakure(Village Hidden in Rain). The only members that were of any threat were the leader and his two second in command. He knew that there was a rumour that the leader had the legendary Kekkei Genkai(Bloodline Limit), the Rinnegan(Saṃsāra Eye).

He opened the file and found multiple storage seals with ascending numbers. A small note explained that each seal held messages from the Akatsuki. With a small pulse of Chakra he opened the first one.

_Year 2240, March_

_The organisation known as Akatsuki would like to arrange a meeting. We wish to create a solid relationship with the Yakuza Clan, its allies, and affiliates. We of the Akatsuki seek not money or resources, but rather information. We understand that such a request comes with a cost and we are more than prepared to pay any price you find appropriate._

_Please send your reply to the address enclosed. As a sign of good faith and as proof to show we can easily pay your price, we have included a list of our financial assets._

_We eagerly await your reply._

_Madara._

Ishikawa's blood chilled as he read the name signed at the bottom. There was only one person he knew that beared the name of 'Madara'. The man was the only person who could possibly challenge the Shodaime Hokage in a fight as an equal. The greatest leader of the Uchiha clan, Uchiha Madara, was a shinobi with skills that conquered any who stood against him. Only when he fought against the Shodaime did he find someone capable of defeating him.

Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama had forged a peace between the Senju and Uchiha clans which had been at war since the age of the Rikudo Sennin(Sage of Six Paths). When the hostilities between the clans ended, they created the first Hidden Village in all of Nihon, Konohagakure. After the creation of Konoha, Madara betrayed the village and fought Hashirama in a duel.

The fight between them is one of the most legendary in the history of Nihon. A tale on par with the mythology of the past, it was no wonder that Ishikawa felt fear at what the message implied.

_If he is alive, if __the__ Uchiha Madara of legend is alive then he must be more than eighty years old. Far from his prime, but still dangerous enough to warrant a 'Flee on Sight' order._

He sealed the message back into its corresponding seal and opened the second last message in the file. He assumed that the last message would be one that arrived after the Kyūbi Event.

_Year 2242, September_

_As we previously discussed the Kyūbi Jinchūriki presents a valuable opportunity for the Akatsuki. The seal that jails the beast within will weaken until it is capable of being opened easily. Your information regarding the Jinchūriki is very much appreciated. Thus, expect a bonus with our usual payment for your services._

_We would very much recommend that any and all agents within the vicinity of Konoha should evacuate before this month's end. We will move against Konoha whilst the Jinchūriki is in labour and will unleash the Bijū within the village to cause the maximum damage possible. With Konoha weakened it should provide better opportunities for both of us to exploit._

_The attack will place an economic strain on the country which will provide the Akatsuki more freedom and manoeuvrability to exercise our strength._

_As always we eagerly await your reply._

_Madara._

This was all the proof that he needed to prove the Akatsuki's involvement in the Kyūbi Event. Even worse was their blatant admission of what they intended to do. The plan went exactly according to their wishes. Konoha is in ruins and rests in a precarious position that could easily burst into the next Shinobi World War.

Once again he resealed the message and opened the last one.

_Year 2242, October_

_The attack on Konoha was both a success and a failure. The Kyūbi was never meant to be jailed again and now it remains out of our grasp. This has unfortunately set some of our plans back for years, but such an incident wasn't unexpected. We have made adjustments to our plan and will work towards it as usual._

_It will please you to know that Konoha sustained severe damage and will need time to recover. This will allow both the Yakuza and the Akatsuki to move more freely for a short period of time within the country._

_We of the Akatsuki will continue to maintain our beneficial relationship as it has proved most profitable. Our payment will be made as usual, same place, same time._

_As always we eagerly await your reply._

_Madara._

Ishikawa spent a few moments pondering on all the information he had learnt. A shiver ran down his spine as he realised just how dangerous the current political and military climate was. After placing the message back into its seal, he removed a scroll from the pouch worn on his waist behind him.

Jiraiya was a Master Sealist who specialised in seals that dealt with the encryption and decryption of information, among other things. One of the things he had inherited from the Sealist who taught him was a seal that allowed the duplication of items. The Kageken placed the file on the ground spread open to show all the storage seals that held the messages within.

He opened his scroll and within was multiple seals one after another. He kept unrolling it until the number of seals matched the file. With a pulse of Chakra he linked each seal to the ones in the file. With a secondary pulse the seals glowed a golden colour and began to draw Chakra from Ishikawa at a steady rate. After a minute had elapsed the process was complete.

He placed the file back where it was meant to be, ensuring that there wouldn't be any signs of his intrusion. After securing the scroll back into his pouch, he turned to leave the room. His mind was a maelstrom of thoughts as he struggled to understand exactly the grand designs in play.

_Damn it all to hell. Why did shit have to get so complicated?_

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><p><strong>AN: Note –<strong> Hope you enjoyed learning a bit more about the world Naruto lives in.


	9. Chapter 8

**AN: Author Note – Alltariss –** This chapter reveals some information on the Corruption and some background on a few characters. It also introduces a few more important characters to the ever growing roster. Such as the head of the R&D division who unfortunately never had much of a job since Nihon is lacking in the science department, unlike the West.

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><p><strong>Chapter 8<strong>

**Vile Motives**

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><p>Hideo silently watched over the two small babes currently sleeping in the crib within the sealed room. The council meeting had gone better than he had expected, especially considering the deceptions they had created to protect the children. He just hoped no one would attempt to investigate further into the issue. Falsifying information, especially when it is of such sensitive and critical nature was borderline if not outright treason.<p>

The medical tests he had performed on the children had returned results that terrified him. Naruto and Alto were just so unnatural that he doubted they were even human. The potential that these children have were more than any other person he had ever met or read about.

_The potential to exceed or at the very least match the ninja of the old days. They who walked as gods among men._

A knock on the door broke his thoughts and he welcomed both Danzō and Jiraiya into the room.

"I assume the results have returned?" Danzō asked.

Hideo nodded, but not without a sense of apprehension which both seasoned shinobi noticed.

"Something about them scares you, doesn't it?" Jiraiya questioned.

The hospital director sighed tiredly in response.

"Let's start with Naruto shall we?"

Both shinobi nodded and gave their full attention.

"Naruto's DNA test revealed more than simply confirming his parentage," he began.

"The Uzumaki clan were known for their exceptional life-force and Chakra. Naruto has indeed inherited such, but they're slightly altered. Usually this would mean that he would recover from injury faster, have larger Chakra Reserves and quality, and greater stamina overall. Yet the introduction of the Kyūbi's Chakra vastly improves his life despite the detrimental effects of corrosion."

He placed before the two ninja a variety of papers with diagrams and numbers.

"His healing ability was surprising and I put it down as the Bijū protecting the vessel, but after a few more tests I found that it is actually a mutational side-effect of his large life-force. His life-force seems to instantly repair any damage done to him as soon as it takes place. It not's healing, but more akin to regeneration though I am at a loss as to how his body knows how the tissue was supposed to be like before the damage took place."

Danzō perked up at this ability thinking that it would be a boon for training and in battle, but knew that such a thing couldn't be all good.

"Wouldn't that mean he won't be able to improve his body physically as others do? His muscles wouldn't improve if they regenerate back to their original state, instead of healing and improving." he queried.

Hideo nodded in agreement. "That is exactly what I deduced as well. Although it may be possible that the regeneration ability could fade away as he gets older. It's entirely possible that it's happening now because he's still adjusting to the sealing. My current theory is that the regenerative ability extends only to what Naruto perceives as an injury, otherwise it remains dormant."

Jiraiya sifted through the papers looking for a specific piece of data, but couldn't find it.

"Is there any sign that he can perform the techniques that Mito-sensei and Kushina-chan did? Emotional Sensory Detection or creating Chakra Constructs?"

Hideo shook his head. "As far as I can tell he doesn't show any sign of such abilities, but it could always manifest as he ages."

Jiraiya nodded and motioned for the director to continue.

"His Keirakukei shows constant expansion and is surprisingly flexible even for a newborn child. What surprises me the most is the creation of new Tenketsu(Chakra Points) along the pathways."

Both shinobi were shocked at the news and took a few moments to understand exactly what this would mean.

"As I'm sure you realise, this means he can have a greater control over his Chakra and can unleash it more precisely and quicker than anyone else."

Jiraiya coughed into his hand. "It would be something a Hyūga wouldn't conceive of if the boy trains with one. They would need more strikes in order to shut him down."

"What about the other boy, Alto?" Danzō asked.

Hideo gathered the papers and placed them aside before spreading another set of papers before them.

"Atlo shouldn't exist according to our research. He has no Keirakukei and we can't detect any Chakra being produced at all. Yet, he shows remarkable abilities during our investigation," Hideo stated.

"He would absorb any and all Chakra around him when he checked him. According to my personal scan of his body, I found small amounts of Natural Chakra."

Jiraiya was surprised. "Really, Natural Chakra? His body is stable and strong enough to withstand such a thing?"

Hideo nodded. "Yes, His body seems to be adapting to it and not showing any sign of losing control. I theorised that it is perhaps a method to compensate for a lack of an internal Chakra system. It would also explain why he heals faster than normal."

"He regenerates as Naruto does?" Danzō asked.

"No." Hideo replied. "He heals faster than normal, but not at the same speed as Naruto. And I'm not sure if it is regeneration or not, because he does show scarring. When inflicted with injury the resulting scars fade after some time passes leaving unblemished skin. Usually, for a normal person the wound will heal and then they have to live with the scars. Only in some occasions do scars completely fade away. I assume, for Alto, that the worse the wound the longer the scars will take to fade away."

Hideo gathered his papers and set them on top of the previous pile.

"That's all I have to report," he finished.

Jiraiya and Danzō both took a few moments to let all the information to sink in. Both men now knew that things wouldn't be the same anymore.

"Konoha has many enemies it seems," Danzō whispered. "We'll need all the help we can get. No doubt these two will be among the top of the new generation."

Jiraiya nodded grimly. "It'll take more than a few good men to brave the coming storm."

* * *

><p>Sarutobi's face was grim as he read the reports concerning the village. The village still had to remove the Corruption and find all the remains of people who were missed from the preliminary clean-up. Then all the rubble will need to be cleared and unsafe buildings demolished.<p>

He had assigned the clean-up of the Corruption and the recovery of bodies to the Hyūga clan. So far, they were doing a solid job and would be able to have the village cleaned within by the end of the week. The Uchiha clan had been tasked with securing the village borders to keep any invaders at bay. Once the village was cleared of the Corruption the Akimichi would be able to assist in removing all the rubble and safely demolish any building that is not worth saving. Only after that will the civilians be allowed to leave the shelter to seek any valuables and belongings that they can find.

The infrastructure was going to need to be rebuilt since the deflected Bijūdama(Tailed Beast Ball) carved a crater metres deep into the earth. Sarutobi hoped that he could rely on the civilian contractors to help in this trying time.

* * *

><p>Fugaku nursed a cup of sake as he sat in his home. The clan compound was completely untouched besides the damage from the Corruption. Fugaku was far from a fool, he saw the Kyūbi clearly that night. Its image burned into his monochrome memory, the eyes of the beast reflecting the triple tomoe design of the Sharingan.<p>

He took solace in the fact that no one else seemed to notice such a detail. The council meeting was informative, but showed that none suspected his clan. He lifted the cup to his lips and swallowed the sake in a single shot. The burn along his throat calmed his mind as it gave the same sensation of breathing fire.

The space in front of him warped and distorted until a man appeared. He wore an orange spiral mask that allowed him to see from only his right eye. His cloak was black and adorned designs of multiple red clouds.

"Madara," Fugaku greeted, but did not bother to stand up or bow.

Madara's eye flared to life shifting into the famous Sharingan.

"The plan was botched by that damnable Namikaze."

Fugaku nodded. "The council meeting revealed the Jinchūriki's of the beast. And it has already been decided that they will go to an orphanage. There is no avenue in which I can adopt the boys without arousing suspicion."

Madara tilted his head slightly in confusion.

"Jinchūriki's? As in more than one?" he questioned. "I was sure that the Uzumaki woman birthed only a single child."

Fugaku shook his head. "There are two children. One has the Chakra of the beast, whilst the other has the mind of the beast sealed within."

Madara contemplated this new development and decided that it was of no detriment to his plans. The beast wasn't stupid and would undoubtedly assist its host, but the current circumstances were more beneficial to him. If the Kyūbi doesn't have access to its store of Chakra then it would be useless to oppose him.

The child with the Chakra might be able to draw on it and since the beast's mind is no longer attached to it. It could mean he would achieve the same status as those who have mastered the beast.

"What is the status of the clan within the village?" he asked.

"At a dangerous edge," Fugaku replied. "It will only be a matter of time before someone suspects our involvement. Anyone who saw the eyes of the Kyūbi will know that we're associated with the attack."

"I see," Madara whispered.

With a nod, he vanished within a distortion of space and time.

* * *

><p>Itachi returned to the compound, which was the first place to be purged of the Corruption after the attack. It was necessary as most of the clan members were out on border patrol. He had personally finished his cycle and was to rest before returning to the field. Itachi was eager to return to the border, as he feared the outbreak of another war.<p>

He entered his home and found the house to be quiet, almost deathly so. Walking to his parent's bedroom, he opened the door and found his mother fast asleep. The room next door was where his new little brother slept. Itachi smiled wistfully at the small child.

_So lucky to not understand or comprehend the horrors of reality._

He made his way into his room and quickly shed his uniform and placed his equipment away. He stepped into his shower and relaxed as he turned the knob, only to blink in confusion.

"Of course," he scolded himself. "The water supply is blown to shreds."

He stepped out and opened his closet before selecting fresh clothes to wear.

_Looks like I'll have to try and bathe at a river when I leave for border patrol again._

Just after he had finished clothing himself the door opened to reveal his father.

"When did you return?" he demanded.

Itachi maintained a calm mind as he answered. "Just now, but I'll be returning to the field soon."

Fugaku nodded. "Good, the situation around here is dangerous until we can restabilise."

Itachi bowed in response. "Understood Tou-san, I will make haste as the border will need constant attention."

"Make the clan proud, my son," he said, before turning away and returning to his office.

Itachi quickly strapped on his equipment and left his home in a swift manner.

* * *

><p>Nightfall signalled the end of paperwork for Fugaku. He left his office and was about to enter the bedroom until he noticed light coming from the kitchen. The electrical systems had failed and needed repairs so everyone used candles and oil lamps for illumination. He checked in on his newborn son and found him to be fast asleep. With a pulse of Chakra he activated the seals that were placed on the walls.<p>

The seals would prevent sounds outside the perimeter of the room from being heard, but would allow any noise within the room to be heard by everyone in the house. It was a boon for him as he could do his duties without waking his son up by any loud sounds, but if Sasuke started crying then he would hear it. It was unfortunate for Mikoto that he fully intended to use this gift for sinister purposes.

He entered the kitchen to find his wife reading a book next to an oil lamp.

_It's been nothing but work, work, work, since this whole plan started. And to make things worse the bitch wouldn't let me have even the slightest fun since she was pregnant. Now that ends, I won't be denied my fun anymore._

Mikoto looked up from her book and saw her husband's face in the dim light. The blood froze in her veins as she realised exactly what position she was in.

Mikoto's father was the previous head of the Uchiha clan and as his daughter, she was obligated to marry a member of the clan to keep the bloodline from thinning out. The exception to this rule would be to find another person to marry whose influence couldn't be ignored and was powerful enough to beat any suitors who wished her hand in marriage.

Mikoto had never fallen in love, the thought of marrying within the clan wasn't exactly scary or repulsive to her. Many of suitors she had met were genuinely good and she felt that could live with that. She felt that given some time they could learn to love one another.

Of the many suitors there was one who desired her hand for no other purpose than to gain the power to eventually lead the clan. Fugaku's desire to lead the clan was one born from the deepest depths of his fractured mind. His personality had long since been warped around the clan and power. Thus, leading to him seek Mikoto as his wife.

With the subtle use of his Sharingan he had made other suitors pursue someone else than Mikoto. The only suitors he left alone were those he knew without a doubt he could defeat, both on and off the battlefield. Where Fugaku lacked great intelligence or strength, he more than made up for it with cunning.

Mikoto never liked Fugaku at any point in time and tried many methods to turn him away from her, but unfortunately, he was the one suitor that could claim her hand in marriage. She had no choice but to marry him as to refuse to do so would see her exiled from the clan. Should she have chosen such a thing it would have left her without a home or any support as she would be as any other clan-less ninja.

"Well, well, it's been a while seen we've had a little fun, hasn't it?" Fugaku said with a smile on his face.

Mikoto trembled and suddenly stood up and backed away from him. She activated her bloodline and prepared to fend herself from him. She knew that it was pointless to fight, but she would be damned before she let him take her without a fight.

Before she could do anything, she found herself grabbed from behind and pushed down onto the dining table. She couldn't understand how Fugaku always managed to capture her in a Genjutsu. She had trained herself in secret as much as she could to counter Genjutsu, but she always failed to detect whatever illusion he casted on her. Her body was paralysed until the technique wore off or it was cancelled.

_No no no no no no no no no no no no._

He grabbed her hands and immediately bound her hands tightly with combat wire. He grasped the bottom of her blouse and pulled it up until it bunched around her waist, exposing her undergarment. He pulled her panties down roughly, nearly tearing the material.

He shattered the Genjutsu he had casted on her before pulling his pants down around his ankles.

"Scream for me bitch…"

* * *

><p>Katsumi lay back on the cushioned bed as she retired for the night. So many thoughts spun around her mind, most revolved around a certain shinobi. She knew about the attack well before it took place. She simply evacuated the village a day before the incident, thereby avoiding any chance of being in danger. Ishikawa wouldn't like the information he would undoubtedly find, and truth be told neither did she.<p>

Akatsuki was nothing more than an annoyance compared to the big players in the game.

_A small rebel group that failed more than they succeeded, but not anymore._

The person who called himself Madara was not to be trifled with. Katsumi confirmed with her own eyes the Sharingan he wielded and the powers of space and time. She knew that he wasn't Madara, but any man who dared claim the name and legend for his own wouldn't do so without the power to back it up.

The world was in a precarious situation and chances were that war would break out. The three wars in the past were bad enough; they left all the Hidden Villages devastated both militarily and economically. If a fourth war were to occur then Katsumi would have to return to her war-time duties. Where she would have to actively take control over every whorehouse in the nation and siphon every drop of information from every nation.

Ishikawa and Katsumi shared a special relationship with one another. The previous Mistress of Pleasures had decided to move their base of operations to Konoha and had found Katsumi during her trip to the village. Cunning and resourceful, Katsumi earned the privilege of being her apprentice and eventually the next Mistress of Pleasures.

It was during the trip when they were attacked by bandits lead by rogue ninja. Ishikawa was at the time an apprentice of the previous Kageken and was undertaking a solo mission, which was to eliminate all the bandits and ninja. Suffice to say Katsumi and her master saw the young boy tear their assailants into pieces. After the completion of his mission, he escorted the ladies to the nearest town and returned to Konoha.

Since that day, Katsumi and Ishikawa met constantly, as she proved to be a source of information that he could rely on, despite being under the employment of the Yakuza. After his master died in the war, Ishikawa took over his title and all his secrets. It was at that point in time when the Yakuza wished to hire him specifically for missions. Since the payment was generous, the young Kageken had little reason to refuse.

Katsumi had a certain rule when it came to her profession and there was only one man who she broke that rule for. Ishikawa had a similar rule amongst many he was obligated to obey, and he too broke it for Katsumi's sister, Nanako.

She had warned Nanako that he isn't a safe person to pursue, that it will come back to haunt her. So far, that had yet to happen but she feared for her sister, as she was expendable in the grand game they played. Katsumi knew that her position amongst the Yakuza Nine offered her protection against almost any opposition.

It was the first time in a long time when she couldn't sleep well. She worried that Ishikawa would confront the man behind the Kyūbi Event. Though he was skilled and was considered an equal to the Hokage, she knew that the man who claimed the name of 'Madara' was better. She could only hope that such a day would never come to pass.

* * *

><p>Kirabachi Kato was the current head of the Research and Development Division. A very small division that was only recently implemented since the technology from the West catapulted their understanding of the world around to an entirely new level. Unfortunately there were not many who wished to work in such a field, for the simple reason that it doesn't pay the bills.<p>

If one wanted to work with the sciences then they had to pay for everything themselves. Kato was paid only because he was the head of the division. Unfortunately, he was the _only_ person in the division. The funding from the Shinobi Council was rejected each time he applied for money.

"Honestly," he lamented. "How am I supposed to do my job when I lack assistants to help me out?"

He had requested someone to collect samples of the Corruption among other things, and luckily his request had been granted. Hideo was throwing him a bone since he had personally made the request to him. Usually he had to write a request form and submit it to the council, but with the attack such bureaucracy was ignored.

He leaned back and twisted his neck to work out any kinks.

_Honestly, no one appreciates the love I put in my work._

He had specifically asked for a multiple samples of the Corruption in its pure form, then for tissue samples from patients who suffered from the necrosis induced from it. Kato was almost crying tears of joy when they arrived. He had actual work to do! The tissue samples were the first to be examined by the researcher.

_Year 2242, November_

_Kirabachi Kato, Head of Research and Development Division._

_Examination of Corruption and tissue samples._

_The tissue samples gathered by Yakushi Hideo have shown many signs of instant cellular death. The samples all show the cells being ruptured or burst before decaying. It is clear that this is not how necrosis usually occurs. In most cases it is usually the result of poison that a person has been afflicted with via man-made concoctions or from creatures found in nature such as spiders. Natural poison from creatures behaves in a certain manner and those man-made tend to act in a specific way as well._

_I can state with confidence that the necrotic tissue samples did not occur from either methodology. This is when I began to investigate the pure samples of the Corruption._

_The Corruption is purely Chakra based in its natural state. This conforms with the way it behaves and reacts when exposed to certain stimuli. The Chakra quantity is exceptional, as the Chakra has a greater physical mass than any other sample I've ever read about or encountered. The quality of the Chakra is beyond anything I've ever seen. The Corruption shows traces of fire elemental Chakra, but it is so very well mixed into the matrix of the energy that dousing it in water would achieve nothing. The Chakra contains a disturbing amount of Yin(Dark) Chakra, which explains a lot about its effects._

_How does it tell the difference between living and non-living cells?_

_How does it know to take over the Keirakukei before dispersing itself into the flesh?_

_How does it create different forms of diseases and necrosis?_

_The only explanation for such questions is that the Kyūbi imbued vast amounts of Yin Chakra with enough Chakra quantity to sustain a physical presence._

_End of Report._

* * *

><p>A month has passed since the attack. Hiruzen read the stacks of reports that seemed to grow by the second. The Hyūga clan cleared all the remaining Corruption and recovered all the bodies of the fallen for proper burial. The Akimichi clan had cleared out the rubble allowing the first steps towards reconstruction to begin. The civilians were finally given the 'All Clear' to leave the shelters and return to their homes if they were still standing. The Nara clan had been designated to patrolling the village and prevent any attempts at looting whilst the populace try to reclaim any belongings that survived the attack.<p>

A knock on the door was heard before two people walked in. Shinichi pulled a chair for his secretary before seating himself.

"Shinichi, I'll be going on a trip to the capital to meet with our Daimyō. We need a budget increase for some time before we are completely self-sufficient."

Shinichi's secretary adjusted her glasses. "Exactly what sort of budgetary increase are we to expect, Hokage-sama?"

"According to our finances, we need a ten percent increase. Personally, I do not wish to be a burden on our Daimyō; therefore, I will request only five percent. So we will need our forces to work overtime on missions to make up for the lack of funding."

"Good. I agree with you on this decision. If we burden our Daimyō, it will send a message to other villages that we're incapable of taking care of ourselves. By making our ninja take more missions successively, it will boost our quality of troops and improve the overall skill set of each soldier. We can't afford to look weak at this point in time," Shinichi commented.

Hiruzen pulled out his pipe and with a slight pulse of chakra and fire manipulation, the tobacco was lit. For a few moments, he only took some puffs whilst gazing at the section of the wall above the door. The photos of both his predecessors and his recently deceased successor hung there, gazing at him. Suddenly he felt the burden of leadership feel heavier than it was than before.

"I will leave the village in your hands-"

"The council won't like that! They already have so much suspicion about Ishikawa-sama."

Shinichi raised his hand to silence her. "I know that they are wary of me. Honestly, I just don't give a damn. Regardless of what they think, I am who I am. I have a job to do and I do it better than anyone else."

Hiruzen nodded in agreement.

"Indeed, and that is exactly why you are one who I can trust to run the village in my absence. The Hokage must be someone who is better than everyone else on the battlefield. I feel no shame that you are far more skilled than I, though at my age it is to be expected."

The Hokage stroked his beard before continuing.

"I understand that you may have work that will take you away from the village. In that case command will transfer to Jōnin(High Ninja) Commander, Nara Shikaku."

"With all due respect Hokage-sama, have you thought about a successor? Minato was a skilled shinobi, but if anything were to happen to you then we would be left with no one to take up the title," Kaede, the Kageken's secretary, asked after writing a few notes onto the clip she held.

Hiruzen laughed, an action that surprised both of them. "If something were to happen to me then I'm afraid we may have to call in Jiraiya or Tsunade."

Shinichi's secretary gave an indignant huff. "Just the kind of image we need to attach to the title of Hokage. A man whose lust knows no bounds and a shameless woman whose only mission is to desperately drown herself in the bottom of a bottle of sake."

"I have to agree with Kaede on this. They may be powerful and in terms of strength, worthy of holding the title. Not to mention their contributions to the village even though they hardly reside in it. Their image hardly inspires fear in our enemies. If anything they'll mock us."

Hiruzen gave a short sigh. "I cannot dispute what you say, but do we really have anyone else?"

Neither one could answer that question.

"I will be leaving today with a full Jōnin escort. A team of five including myself."

Rising from his chair, an action mimicked by his two visitors. He proceeded to leave the office after shaking both their hands.

"Kami guide you, Hiruzen," Shincihi whispered.

"Kami guide you," he replied.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Author Note – Alltariss –<strong> A little bit more information regarding some characters and their motives. All of these things play an important role in making the world more realistic. Nothing exists in a vacuum, what one does leaves ripples that touch everything around them sometimes having dire consequences.


	10. Chapter 9

**AN: Author Note – Alltariss –** This chapter deals with the infamous Hyūga kidnapping event and its consequences. Kirabachi makes another appearance to display his awesomeness at deducing the enemy's equipment and tactics. Also another important character in introduced which is the Daimyō of the Fire Country. Unlike the manga, he takes a more active role and isn't a useless uneducated idiot.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 9<strong>

**Foreign Transgressions**

* * *

><p>The journey to the capital was at a casual pace, despite the urgency of the situation. Hiruzen had told them that to rush would leave them vulnerable to ambush and would be a waste of Chakra and stamina. None of the Jōnin escorting him could dispute his decision. Sarutobi's decision to leave the village in Ishikawa's hands was not met without resistance. It was to be expected for a ninja whose rank meant he was of equal to the Hokage.<p>

Whilst the council may distrust the Kageken, those who had fought and had worked alongside him trusted him completely. The man was harsh, expected everyone to perform their duties with utmost perfection, and would have no mercy for those that failed. Many would call him mad, saying that he 'expected too much', but those who have met him say that his very presence demands nothing less.

The capital was close, the city was visible on the horizon. They had been travelling well into the night and dawn would soon approach. Popping another NightWatch pill into his mouth, Hiruzen soldiered on towards their destination.

Ibaraki, the capital of Fire Country. Its size was easily five times larger than that of Konoha. The city had multiple rings of walls born from how it was always expanding and improving. Nonetheless, it was well defended with its impressive armies of Samurai. It was the economic heart of Hi no Kuni(Land of Fire). Trade and business flourished here as the tax on goods was at an all-time low due to favourable weather on the sea, which improved international trade.

The Shinobi World Wars hardly ever affected the civilian sectors of the country, when compared to the time of the Clan Wars. In some cases, it made things better. Troops of ninja would traverse through the country, but would never attack towns and cities. The farmers were happy as wars meant that troops would require buying large quantities of produce, as the old saying went 'An army marches on its stomach'. Weapon-smiths, Armourers, cloth merchants, and tailors all profited from war. Weapons such as kunai and shuriken were always needed and armour eventually needed to be repaired. Clothes were a necessity during times of rain and frost.

It made sense that most of the funds that a Hidden Village requires came from the Daimyō. The amount of G.D.P.(Gross Domestic Product) that they produced was essential, not only to improve the general quality of living, but to provide the majority of a Hidden Village's budget. It also kept the exchange rate of Nihon's currency matching with those of other lands such as the Western Kingdoms, the Nomadic Citadels, and the Celestial Empire. Hiruzen had once met the kings and leaders of these foreign lands, the talks they had were enlightening and had strengthened the bonds between their nations.

As they leapt off the last tree and onto the open fields, the sparkling coloured lights of Ibaraki lay before them. They paused for a moment, taking in the sight.

"I say we can make it there in five hours at our current pace, Hokage-sama," said one of the accompanying Jōnin.

Hiruzen gave a smile and was in a fairly good mood. "We haven't encountered any bandits or foreign ninja. What say you, that the last one to reach the city buys us the first round of drinks?"

The Jonin all looked surprised at Hiruzen's challenge, except for one. Recently promoted and quite young, he still had a sense of playfulness.

"Are you sure you can keep up Hokage-sama?" he challenged.

Hiruzen laughed and stretched his body in preparation. "Hmph! It'll be a cold day in hell when a youngster like you will outrun me!"

They lined up much like they used to back in their academy days. Hiruzen threw a single kunai into the air. Each ninja tensed, when the kunai touched the first blade of grass, they launched forward. The ground at Hiruzen's feet nearly exploded when he leapt towards the city.

The kunai was the only mark that would tell anyone that they were there.

* * *

><p>The slight smell of tobacco smoke and sake filled the air.<p>

"Didn't I tell you? You'd never beat me in that race."

Hiruzen's words made they young man blush in embarrassment.

"Shit! I was so close to coming first too!"

The others all laughed at his red face. They knew Hiruzen had purposely held back to give him false hope that he could win.

"Bartender, a round of drinks for all of us!"

They all seated themselves around a table and were served by a young woman in a kimono. With a cheer they all drank the first cup of sake.

"So Hokage-sama, are we to rest in a hotel or proceed directly towards the castle?" asked one of the men.

"The Castle. The Daimyō will be awake by now, despite being quite early in the morning."

With a nod they all relaxed and enjoyed the drinks and the company of each other.

* * *

><p>The main hall of the Daimyō's castle was impressive. Used for grand balls and expensive parties, it was decorated with gold and furnished with some of the most expensive looking furniture.<p>

The only occupants in the room were the Daimyō and the Hokage. Ibarashi Yūdai was a very educated man. Well versed in the arts and excelled in the battlefields of politics and diplomacy. Hiruzen had known his father and had seen Yūdai since the latter years of his Hokage reign. They had spoken on many occasions. Yūdai and Hiruzen shared the same views when it came to matters of military nature, preferring to settle things peacefully.

The relationship between a Kage and a Daimyō varied in different nations. Most believed that their reliance on the Daimyō's funding was a sign of weakness. Hiruzen had learnt much after surviving through all three wars. If there was one principle that he believed in, it was that 'United we survive. Divided we fall'. It was because of this belief that Konoha had survived and came out as the all-round victor after the wars.

Yudai had met Hiruzen when he was a child, hiding behind his father's legs at the time. He saw Hiruzen as a treasured and valued friend, and in some ways as a grandfather. When he had commanded the Jonin escorts to have proper accommodations, he had immediately rushed to the main hall to greet him. Hiruzen stood before him in his battle armour, a rare sight. The last time he had seen him like this was when he announced to him that he was retiring.

"Hiruzen I had received your letters and was quite worried about you. Tell me, what is the condition of Konoha?"

Hiruzen gave a low bow before speaking; his face was the steeled visage of a veteran warrior.

"Konoha is safe from any plague or disease outbreaks and we've stabilised the village to the point where the people can return to their homes. The problem we have now is that many of the merchant clans are taking their business elsewhere in fear. Also, I fear that if any of the other villages could attack us and spark the next war. We've decided as an incentive to create a civilian council in which they will receive authoritative powers. Until the time that the civilian council is running and can operate on its own, we need more funding to survive."

Yūdai looked shocked. The letters had described the situation, but he had no idea that it had come to this. Hiruzen had then done something that he would have never have expected. He lowered himself to his knees and bowed his head until it touched the floor.

"I know that we already receive a substantial amount, but if it is possible, I beg you. Please, please give us, even for a short while, an increase in our budget. I do not ask for much, I only request five percent more than we already receive."

Yūdai instantly rushed and lifted Hiruzen off the floor. "Please, Hiruzen! Do not bow to me as such. You are a good friend and have been in service to our country since the time of my father. I know that your village is going through a tough phase and it isn't often that any Hidden Village requests for outside help, but there is no need to prostrate yourself as such."

Yūdai knew that no other Kage would dare request help from their Daimyō. Their pride wouldn't allow it; they would never bow, not even for the sake of their people. The fact that Hiruzen did so proved to him that he was willing to throw away his own pride and do what was needed for his people. A Daimyō's duty was to his people; their welfare was in his hands. It was his responsibility to see to their needs and not be absorbed in prideful selfishness.

"Hiruzen, you ask for only a meagre five percent? I know that you don't wish to be a burden on me and will no doubt ensure that the village works overtime to make up the rest of the money needed. As your Daimyō my duty is to my people, _all my people_. Therefore I will give you a _twenty_ percent increase."

Hiruzen felt grateful in his life for having such a Daimyō as his ruler, but at the same time he was shocked. "Twenty percent? If you give us that much won't it affect the country as a whole. I was under the assumption that the city was undergoing quite a few projects."

Yūdai gave a reassuring smile. "This city's expansion was cancelled as instead of expanding, we're improving what is already built. We expect that the city will be able to hold more people that way and will increase the overall G.D.P. Hiruzen, I'm giving you this because I believe in you and your leadership. Thanks to Konoha, our soldiers are far more capable than before, and your Shinobi are more skilled than that of other nations."

Hiruzen could only thank him repeatedly with tears in his eyes.

* * *

><p>Hiruzen no longer felt weary, despite his advanced age. Perhaps it was readjusting to the responsibilities of a Hokage. Or perhaps it was the fact that he had begun training again. He felt born anew and was ready to fight at a moment's notice. The Shinobi forces had stirred rumours that the Kami no Shinobi (God of Shinobi) was returning.<p>

The Emperor's wife had the unfortunate luck of having a miscarriage on the night of the Kyūbi Event. It came as a surprise to Hiruzen when he had found out that they had adopted a baby girl into the royal family. Nonetheless, the royal family was overjoyed to finally have a daughter after siring many sons.

Since the end of the Third Shinobi World War there has been a relative peace between each of the five great ninja nations. Kumo had sent a Head Ninja to Konoha in the hopes that the current armistice could change into a peace treaty and perhaps an alliance.

"I don't trust that Kumo shinobi," Danzō whispered. Many of the council members didn't.

"I know that the talks are just a cover, but we don't know what he's really after. I'm surprised Ei hasn't already lead a battalion against us as the first strike of war. I suggest we leave him alone for now. If he senses that he's being watched, then he won't make his move. We'll bait him and then capture him in the act," Hiruzen proposed.

There were no objections from either the Shinobi or the newly created Civilian Council.

The Civilian Council was a complete success. Once word had spread about its formation, merchant clans from all over the country, even foreign clans, had joined. The funds received from the Daimyō were being used to repair the damages and to create better facilities in case of another incident of a similar level. All sectors of the village were to be improved. The Shinobi Academy had recently been revised and opened its doors to children from non-military background. Hiruzen had only recently sent a letter to Yūdai, informing him that the increased funding was being put to good use.

* * *

><p>Hyūga Hiashi was always calm. Even during the Kyūbi event, he remained composed as he systematically carried wounded civilians to the hospital and later attacked the Bijū directly. The Corruption was a terrifying ordeal and if it were not for the majority of the clan having Chakra training since the time they could walk, all of the young clan members would have died.<p>

As he sat in his office late into the night, he couldn't shake off the unnerving feeling he would get every time the Kumo-nin would look towards him. The Kumo Head Ninja was a man of average height and weight, black hair, bandaged head, and his headband covering his right eye.

_He certainly doesn't look terrifying, so why do I have a foreboding sense of dread._

Suddenly a muffled cry was heard. Activating his bloodline, he scanned the entire household. A cloaked figure was carrying off a bundle that held something moving inside. Focusing on the bundle, it came as a shock to see his daughter being held inside. Immediately running out of his study, he pursued the kidnapper. Hinata cried repeatedly as she was unable to understand why she was awakened from her sleep and placed in a sack.

The kidnapper had rushed over the walls of the compound. "Ha! Not a single person found me. So much for their 'All seeing eyes'.‟

Before he took another step a hand slammed on his back and suddenly he felt something rip his heart into shreds. Hiashi's strike had enough Chakra to be physically seen by the naked eye.

"You fool…Kumo will have your head for this…" he whispered before falling dead.

"Kumo? It couldn't be, unless it's him.‟

Tearing open the bag Hiashi grasped his daughter and held her close.

She still continued to cry as she gripped his robes tightly in her tiny hands.

Hiashi quietly comforted her as he gazed at the corpse next to them. It was the Head Ninja that Kumo had sent for the alliance.

* * *

><p><em>Our ambassador was sent to seek a diplomatic unity between our villages following the aftermath of the Third Shinobi World War.<em>

_We have received accurate reports informing us, Kumogakure, that Konohagakure, has assassinated our ambassador._

_We have received your letter informing us that he had violated his rights as a diplomatic guest by illegally entering clan grounds and attempted to kidnap a clan member._

_We of Kumogakure demand compensation for the loss of our Head Ninja. The actions of our ambassador were falsified and are an attempt to weaken our nation._

_If the head of the one who assassinated him is sent to us, we will pardon this offence._

_Else the armistice between us will be annulled and open war between our nations will continue._

* * *

><p>"This is bullshit and they know it!" cried Inuzuka Tsume.<p>

Hiruzen and Hiashi shared and look. Hiashi had come to him in the middle of the night with the Head Ninja's corpse in his hands, and had explained what had occurred.

"Regardless of how it is worded, the message is clear. Hand over the killer or face war."

Danzō had the body analysed for any secrets and Hideo handed Kato access to the ninja's equipment after the preliminary examination. They were yet to receive any news from the head researcher.

"We cannot go to war. The Kyūbi Event has damaged us too much. We need to recover from it and to suddenly go to war will ruin all of our hard work and will disgrace our Daimyō. Who has given us the means to recover this quickly," Hiruzen stated.

The report of the incident had been handed to every member of the Shinobi Council and it was clear that none would willingly hand over one of their own so easily. Hiashi stood up and addressed his fellow members and comrades.

"Since the offended clan was my own, it will be us who will decide on how this situation should be resolved. Should Hokage-sama allow it?"

Hiruzen knew very well what the Hyūga clan had planned to do. Hizashi was identical to Hiashi, after all, they were twins.

"I will allow it. Provided that I am informed of your final decision when it is made."

* * *

><p>Kato inspected the armour and the sack that the Head Ninja had used in his failed attempt to kidnap the Hyūga heiress. It appeared that Kumo was creating specialised equipment designed to counter the fighting style of the Hyūga Clan.<p>

_Year 2243, January_

_Kirabachi Kato, Head of Research and Development Division._

_Examination of equipment acquired from Kumo infiltrator._

_The sack is not completely made with cloth. Integrated with it is wires made with Chakra Metal. The mesh of the wires will allow a person to direct their chakra through them. It explains why Hiashi had some difficulty seeing through the sack when his daughter was captured. A normal clan member of his age wouldn't be able to pierce through the Chakra veil with their eyes. It was only because of Hiashi's skill and experience with multiple attempts made by enemies to prevent the perceiving ability of his Kekkei Genkai._

_With an application of Chakra I was able to bend the cloth into a variety of shapes with ease. I will need to spend more time with the item to replicate it and perform additional experiments. It is my firm belief that this new technology could be applied in a variety of circumstances that would greatly assist out ninja out in the field. It may even increase their survival rate._

_The same technology is being applied to the armour. By placing the mesh on top of their standard issue flak-jackets it can allow the wearers Chakra to flow through and lessen the damage that a Hyūga would dish out with their Jūkenpo(Gentle Fist Art)._

_It is my hypothesis at this point in time that the wearer would flow his Chakra through the mesh and when struck by a Hyūga's attack, be able to deflect the Hyūga's Chakra away from internal organs and any Tenketsu._

_End of Report._

* * *

><p>"I refuse," Hiashi said.<p>

"You cannot be serious-"

"I'm damn well serious!"

To hear his brother shout such words and to see the calm demeanour that he always wore vanish came as a surprise to Hizashi.

"You are my brother, my flesh and blood, and I will damn well make sure that Kumo will never come even within the borders of our country if they desire my head."

Hiashi's declaration nearly brought tears to his eyes. The seal, the clan, and their separate houses. Those barriers that once stood between them appeared to have been broken with mere words.

Hizashi features softened, his brother had to bear so much responsibility as the Clan Head.

"When the seal was placed on me years ago, I had thought that it was fate. I was put into the Branch House simply because I was born a few seconds after you. I hated you, knowing the seal will be placed on Neji, I hated the clan for being so damn unbending, unwilling to take a brave step towards change, but most of all I hated myself for not doing anything. I merely accepted all what has happened like a sheep blindly following the shepherd. Yet, here and now, I have the chance to change myself. A chance to defy the fate that was given to me."

Hiashi gripped his hakama as he took in the words of his brother. It was true that there was a rift between them since birth and it had only grew as time passed. Despite the animosity that they displayed to each other, he could not help but love his brother. They were family.

"I do this not for the clan, nor for the village, but for my brother."

* * *

><p>Hizashi's body was being carried by a team of Kumo-nin that had arrived a week after his death. They proudly displayed themselves to the local populace as if in total victory, but would later find that their efforts would be in vain.<p>

The Sandaime Raikage(Lightning Shadow) Ryōta*, had received the report from the team he had dispatched that they were successful in retrieving the body of a Hyūga.

"The Hyūga clan is very mighty indeed. Their eyes can follow us almost as well as the Sharingan. And for some strange reason they can temporarily move almost as fast as someone using the Raiton no Yoroi (Lightning Release Armour)."

Ei, his son moved closer to the window to watch as the team handed over the body to their medical researchers. The study of their bloodline would prove invaluable, and with the man's eyes they could implant them in two of their shinobi and with care they would be able to replicate their fighting style.

"This will strengthen our village greatly, right father?"

"Indeed it will."

* * *

><p>"What do you mean the bloodline isn't there?!"<p>

The doctors cowered under the rage of their Kage. His temper when stirred was as wild as a thunderstorm.

"The body isn't a fake, but his eyes are useless. The seal on his forehead is apparently the cause. It must have erased any possible chance for us to utilise his eyes for implantation."

Ei was furious. Their plan was to kidnap a Hyūga to create their own clan of Byakugan users, or at least retrieve the eyes of one. He couldn't declare war on Konoha for this unless he wanted to look like a fool before the entire Shinobi Nations.

"So in the end the plan was a failure. I suppose it was to be expected, they didn't seem too unhappy to relinquish the body over to us," Ei mused.

"Raikage-sama?"

"Keep the body in storage. We may one day have use for it."

"Yes, Sir."

* * *

><p>To Hiruzen, the pyrrhic victory left a bad taste in his mouth. Hizashi was a fine Jōnin and though the seal would prevent Kumo from gaining the bloodline, it would undoubtedly leave a scar in the hearts and minds of the Hyūga Clan.<p>

"My clan is very much angered by this entire affair. Make no mistake; we will never forgive Kumo for this transgression."

Hiruzen took a long puff from his pipe. "Indeed neither will Konoha. I have always tried to be a peaceful man, but acts such as this can only be repaid in blood."

The Chūnin Exams are held once every six months. The decision of which village is chosen to host the exams are decided by the Daimyō's of each nation that has a Hidden Village. If the village selected is incapable of hosting the exam it reveals to the other nations of how weak the nation is.

Thus it forces any Hidden Village to always be prepared to host the exams.

"Should the Chūnin Exams be held in Konoha, we will ensure that not a single shinobi of Kumo will survive," Hiashi declared.

The Councils were in full agreement. Kumo would pay quite dearly for their treachery.

The doors of the Council Chamber opened and Kato walked in. Hiruzen and many others looked on in surprise.

"Forgive my intrusion, but we have a very serious problem."

_I knew that things were going to get far worse than they already are._

Two ANBU members came into view and handed out copies of a report to each member of the Shinobi Council.

"In the report handed to you is proof that Kumo is designing specialised technology to counter the Hyūga style of combat."

Hiashi immediately scanned the document and memorised all the important points.

"Unbelievable… Is every Kumo Shinobi being outfitted with this?" he asked.

"No," Kato replied. "Chakra Metal is quite expensive to make and take a lot of time to cultivate. I'd suspect that only those of Jōnin rank and above would automatically be outfitted with this tech. everyone else would have to purchase it with their own money."

Hiruzen's face wore a dark look that only surfaced during the times of the world wars.

"It appears that Kumo will never stop in their efforts to crush us. Inform our forces of this information. If they intend on weakening us by this, then we will make our shinobi strong enough to overcome such obstacles."

A resounding shout reverberated through the chamber.

In the next few years that followed not a single Kumo Shinobi ever made it to the finals whenever Konoha hosted the Chūnin Exams. Courtesy of the Hyūga Clan.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Author Note – Alltariss –<strong> Hopefully you enjoyed this chapter. The kidnapping scene is an iconic event in the NarutoVerse and just like in the manga, it had far-reaching effects.

**Explanations for Japanese culture and certain ideas/concepts that I have used, as well as words/terms/names used.**

Ryōta – I made this to be the Sandaime Raikage's name since according to the manga both the 3rd and the 4th Raikage both share the name "Ei". This was done to differentiate between the two.


	11. Chapter 10

**AN: Author Note – Alltariss –** This chapter reveals the matron of the orphanage and some scenes of Orochimaru.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 10<strong>

**A Snake Among The Grass**

* * *

><p>Shinichi sat down before the Hokage, his masked face giving no indication of what he was feeling.<p>

"Both the children have been placed in an orphanage. It's a decent place, clean rooms and well supplied. Although it is situated in the Mizu District(Water District)."

"You mean the 'Pleasure District'." Sarutobi corrected.

The Kageken snorted derisively. "One man's water is another man's poison."

Hiruzen scanned the document with great scrutiny. It was the papers that legally gave custody of the two boys over to the orphanage. Shinichi usually did most of his work by himself. He felt that it would lower the chances of important information being circulated. At the same time it did bring a cloud of suspicion over him.

_If he ever decided to turn traitor, the information he has would be invaluable for any other Hidden Village._

"The name?" Hiruzen asked.

"Akabana Orphanage(Red Flower Orphanage)," he replied.

"Pull back any surveillance. According to Jiraiya, he's already got the false information in circulation. It's time for them to be completely invisible."

He wasn't going to take any chances. Not with these children, and not with the village.

"As you command, Hokage-sama." Shinichi replied with a salute.

* * *

><p>The dwelling that was the orphanage consisted of the superstructure, where the matron and her helpers lived, and the understructure, which served as a storage room for supplies. The main story was designed as a hostel to house the children. Prior to the Kyūbi Event there was no shortage of space, but now every orphanage in the village would be almost overflowing with children.<p>

The Akabana Orphanage was located in the Mizu District. The area was originally a marketplace for ninja looking to relax after missions. Thus, there was no shortage of bars and taverns to be found. Luxury was the commodity for soldiers looking for a good time. The three wars had hammered into their heads the reality of their profession, and the need to enjoy life while they were still alive.

Brothels were simply the next best thing to arrive in the district for young men seeking warmth and comfort in the arms of maidens. The battlefield had shown that even the young Genin would be shown no quarter. The life expectancy on the field of war was drastically low, and was becoming even lower since each village needed more men on the field than ever before.

Soon after the war ended, there was a rise in the trade of illegal substances. Many resorted to such addictive pleasures to escape the lingering nightmares of war. Potions and powders designed to take one on a whirling adventure of kaleidoscopic dreams and colour, free of pain and suffering. While such substances are illegal throughout Nihon it is difficult to stop the trade and production of the banned commodity.

As the years passed the Mizu District was colloquially known as the 'Pleasure District' as it was only ever frequented by those seeking an escape from the pressures of life.

Kyōko was of average size for a Nihon-jin, moon-faced and leonine-haired coloured a shade lighter than chestnut. She gave the appearance of a severe-looking woman with her squinting eyes, knitted brow, beak-nose, and thin lips.

She was a kunoichi(Female Ninja). She never knew her parents, an orphan who was one of the lucky ones that showed enough natural talent to secure a sponsored scholarship to the Ninja Academy. In the years that followed she trained hard and was eventually deployed to the front lines during the Third Shinobi World War. Unlike most of her comrades she survived the conflict and lived to see it end.

The Kyūbi Event had unfortunately resulted in her current condition. The Corruption had hit her when she was on the brink of Chakra Depletion. When she arrived to the hospital, she had seen first-hand what the Corruption would do to her. Yet, instead of her flesh decaying the invasive energy had instead damaged her Keirakukei beyond repair. Rendering her unable to use Chakra in even the simplest of tasks. In cases of damage to one's Keirakukei it is usually determined by the amount of Chakra they can use after they have been stabilised. In Kyōko's case she couldn't even use enough Chakra to stick to a wall, let alone have enough to augment her physical body. Therefore, she was forced to retire from the ninja military forces.

She could have applied for the regular military forces that were under the command of the Daimyō, but her pride wouldn't allow it. After serving her village proudly for years, it was bitter pill to swallow to have that life taken from her. The previous matron of the orphanage was killed in the Kyūbi Event and none bothered to apply for the job. Danzō had approached her and recommended that she take the job.

She was of course sceptical about Danzō and his motives. It was well known that he had a bitter rivalry with Sarutobi Hiruzen. Nevertheless, he had offered her the job and said her placement would be guaranteed if she informs him of talented prospects.

The only way for an orphan to become a ninja was to show some talent for the profession. Kyōko had shown an aptitude for physical combat by showing her speed at the local sports race at one of the civilian schools. She was offered a sponsorship and she took it without hesitation. Informing Danzō about any probable future ninja wasn't treason, but it could be seen as taking sides in the hidden backroom politics that existed within the village.

In the end, she took the job. She had nothing else to do and in her mind, she was helping the village grow by providing it more ninja.

* * *

><p>Kyōko sat down on the roof of the building overseeing the rest of the district. The buildings were hardly damaged from the Kyūbi Event. The only damage incurred was from the Corruption setting ablaze the buildings. Whatever fire damage was done was easily repaired with some small reconstructions.<p>

The Kyūbi was unleashed in the Shiro District(White District), which had the main road that branched off to many of the other districts. The clan compounds were the closest to the Shiro District and all of them sustained damage that resulted in many collapsed buildings. Each were quickly being repaired in order to restore normality.

_Normal. Nothing is ever going to be normal, not anymore._

Kyōko gripped her blouse and shut her eyes in an attempt to stave off the images that haunted her. The events from the war and from those more recent had left her damaged in ways that were irreversible.

"Kyōko-san," one of her assistants called out. "There's a ninja waiting to speak with you downstairs."

She let out the breath she didn't realise she was holding, and left her spot on the roof to deal with her visitor.

* * *

><p>"We've searched and unfortunately we couldn't find any next of kin."<p>

Those were the words Kyōko heard when they gave her custody of Naruto and Alto. The children were quite calm, which she found interesting. Most children less than a year old hated being shifted from one environment to another, usually followed by much tears and crying. She learnt that from one of her assistants who worked with the previous matron. It was a common issue that usually went away after a few weeks.

The other strange fact was that they had bothered to search for the next of kin. While it was standard procedure, it was the timing of it that bothered her. The village was still in shambles and doing everything it could to get back on its feet before someone decides to declare war again. They wouldn't bother with such tasks until after the village was able to hold its own.

Kyōko signed all the paperwork and transfer documents before taking the babes to the nursery that was empty at the moment. Most of her kids were five years or older. Naruto and Alto were the first babies to grace the walls of the orphanage in six years. As she laid them down gently in one of the cribs available, she took note of their features.

She ran her fingers through the small thin hairs that adorned Naruto's head. Blonde hair was common enough amongst the populace. She knew that the Yamanaka Clan tended to have blonde hair as a recurring trait. Blue eyes weren't rare, but neither were they common.

_Whoever this child belongs to, he surely isn't a part of that clan. The name alone is enough to prove that. Who on earth names their child 'Fish Cake'?_

She turned to the other child and wondered why his eyes were covered with a cloth blindfold. Her hand slowly lifted the material to see what lay underneath. She gasped as she saw his white irises look at her with their almost shining pupils, which were a stark contrast with the whites of his eyes coloured jet black. She retracted her hand as if burned, her mind reeling from the multitude of thoughts running amok.

_What possible bloodline could have eyes like that?_

She sat down in one of the chairs near the crib and wondered over what she had seen.

_It's definitely not the Sharingan, but it could be a variation of the Byakugan. His eyes are white, but unlike the Hyūga Clan you can actually see his pupils._

She recalled the words the ninja representative said before they transferred custody of the children.

_They obviously searched for a next of kin since they most likely thought the child had a Kekkei Genkai._

She turned and left the room with a myriad of questions yet to be answered.

* * *

><p>The Iwa-nin were pressing their attack against the retreating Konoha forces. The mission was supposed to be a simple delivery. A highly classified document that was to be taken to the Daimyō with details regarding the general mobilisation of the ninja forces. Additional information included suggestions on where to station the regular forces around the country in order to minimise any collateral damage.<p>

Kyōko ran along with the rest of the squad through the trees as they were pursued by enemy ninja. With only a minor gash on her arm, she was still in good shape to retaliate if required. Unfortunately Kyōko and the team ran into an ambush. A spear of solid earth and stone shot out of the ground towards her.

If it weren't for her state of hypersensitive awareness brought about by urgency, the spear would have impaled her. Instead it slashed across her midriff and tore effortlessly through her flesh. Falling from the trees she landed with multiple rolls before she stopped flat on her back.

She brought her hands to her midsection and thanked the heavens that there was enough flesh still there to keep her guts from spilling out. The pain had yet to register, but the shock was starting to set in. In all her time as a kunoichi she had been wounded many times before, but never to a degree such as this.

She was vaguely aware of the battle that was taking place around her. Shouts and screams melded with the sharp clashing of steel informing her that the battle was still underway. It was with tremendous willpower that she brought herself to her feet, but before she could take a step she was pushed back down.

Her team-mate had slammed her back down before being impaled with multiple spears of earth. He choked on his blood and staggered before collapsing to the ground dead. Kyōko gasped and struggled for every breath, her breathing coming in short bursts. The pain was registering itself and left her in no condition to move.

Within moments she was surrounded by the team of Iwa-nin all staring down at her.

"Well it looks like this was a waste of time," spoke one of the men.

"The leader burned the scroll before I could get it from him. Sly bastard," another said, spitting on the corpse of her comrade.

"What should we do with her?" one of the men asked.

"Let the bitch bleed, it's not like she can do anything else."

The person Kyōko assumed was the leader of the group stepped close to her and loosened his pants. He brandished his dick with a flourish before taking aim at her face. A moment later a stream of hot urine splashed on her face. She didn't know if the burning sensation was from the vile liquid getting into her eyes or from the shame of being treated in such a humiliating manner.

"Let's see how great that 'Will of Fire' is now, huh?" he taunted her. "Does burn bitch? I bet it does, bet it burns _real good_."

* * *

><p>Kyōko shot out of bed in an instant. Her breathing was rasping as she wrapped her hands around her stomach tightly. She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head as if to deny what she had dreamed. She could hear the thunderous thrashing of her heartbeat as it sounded off in her head.<p>

As she slowly opened her eyes she was acutely aware of her surroundings. The moonlight from the window seemed exceptionally bright, making her scramble on the floor until she was in the shadows. The ticking of the clock sounded far louder than it actually was, making her strain to hear anything else.

Her mind conjured thoughts and images that weren't real. Images of the Iwa-nin climbing through the window with kunai in hand, a spear of earth jutting out from the floor impaling her, the door opening to reveal yet another Iwa-nin trying to kill her.

She shut her eyes again in a vain attempt to cease the horrors, but they only continued to haunt her. In the end she wept silently as she tried to hold herself together through the night.

* * *

><p>Located within one of the many forests that covered the Fire Country was the laboratory built by the legendary ninja Orochimaru. Away from prying eyes, its entrance was a descending ramp that lead to a solid steel door designed with a snake motif. Within the complex were plain white walls and corridors leading to a variety of rooms.<p>

Orochimaru stood beside a table with scalpel in hand, the corpse before him was still wet from being pulled from the giant water tanks used to cultivate his experiments. Its chest cavity was opened and it organs available for display. The shinobi's hands were covered in blood and bits of flesh. He removed his latex gloves and proceeded to clean himself at the wash basin nearby. The sink turned red as the water washed away any lingering gore.

"Another failure," Orochimaru said, disappointment clearly coloured his tone.

After a few minutes of careful decontamination he turned to take one more look at his work. The blood within the corpse was still fresh when he cut it open. The table had small drains installed to collect any spilt blood and store it. He would examine it later and determine what his next move would be. He sat down at a desk opposite the wash basin and began writing.

_2243, February._

_Subject One-Three-One, Post Mortem Examination._

_The subject was male of average height and weight. A shinobi who had achieved the rank of Chūnin. The subject's Keirakukei was above average despite having no military heritage, civilian or otherwise. The subject was exposed to the genetic formula via injection after spending a week in the tank filled with the new solution. The subject's injuries were rapidly healed within a few hours after being submerged within the liquid. The wounds were sustained during the capture of the subject._

_The genetic formula was of a different sort after the initial attempts ended in failure. I had initially cultivated the gene using various blood types to cater to different test subjects, but had also diluted the gene by repeatedly bonding it with the basic Chakra Gene of multiple sources. The results were less than satisfactory as each test subject died._

_Each of them had developed tumours that appeared to follow the general structure of the Keirakukei. In addition to this they suffered from bouts of rapid metamorphosis where their flesh would change into various forms. Some developed scales like a snake while others developed fur like a bear or wolf, one subject's skin changed into something akin to a frog or toad. Internal changes also took place as some developed claws and fangs; some had even developed secondary organs. Four kidneys, two livers, one even developed five stomachs. Their bodies could not withstand the rapid changes and their minds couldn't handle the pain and shock._

_After much examination I had discovered that the genetic material from Subject: Jūgo was capable of adapting to any host regardless of genetic difference. The problem is the test subjects' ability to accept the genetic formula. Test samples show varied results ranging from complete failure to perfect unison. I will need to perform more tests to figure out the percentage of the success-failure rate._

_Subject One-Three-One was the latest in these tests. And the results are a marked improvement compared to those before him. The new solution used in the tank was one that was supersaturated with various minerals and vitamins. In addition Chakra was mixed into the solution via a new Fuinjutsu I developed. While the subject still perished, it actually managed to achieve a level of stability that enabled it to survive outside the tank for a few hours. After showing signs of pain I returned it to the tank, but unfortunately the subject failed to restabilise and thus died._

_This has been a surprising breakthrough. I will definitely need to continue this line of work and see where it takes me._

_End of Report._

* * *

><p>The streets of Konoha were once again starting to gain life after the Kyūbi Event. The majority of the damaged buildings were being rebuilt. The ones that only sustained fire damage were already restored to their original state. It wouldn't be long before all would return to normality.<p>

A grey-haired youth wandered aimlessly through the bustling roads that lead to the Hokage's administration building. It had been more than a month since his sensei had died fighting the Kyūbi, yet he still felt a small amount of guilt over it.

_If I insisted on staying on as Kushina-sama's guard then all this could have been avoided._

Minato had returned from a mission to personally deliver a message for the Daimyō, and had immediately called him to his office. He had informed him that Kushina was pregnant and that she would need to be protected until the birth of the child.

Kakashi wasn't exactly thrilled with such a task. He was temporarily removed from ANBU and placed as a personal guard. Since the death of Rin he had been doing back–to–back missions in ANBU to take his mind off the event. Nevertheless, this was a mission that Minato had personally asked him for. In his mind it was an honour that his sensei regarded him so highly. Even more so since he was officially inaugurated as the Yondaime Hokage.

Kakashi knew Kushina from her reputation as a hot-tempered woman who was very skilled on the battlefield. He also knew about her equally fierce teammates, Inuzuka Tsume and Uchiha Mikoto. Those three were a rare team, not many all kunoichi squads existed. Their skill and teamwork was near legendary, almost as much as the infamous Ino-Shika-Chō trio.

Minato, he had recalled had once saved Kushina's life when she had been kidnapped by Kumo-nin. He had of course perused the mission archives to get a better understanding of the woman whose life was under his protection. All he had found was records that proved her to be an impeccable kunoichi. All in all he was confused.

He had noted that Minato was a close friend of Kushina, and had often wondered if the child was his. It took him three months to muster the courage to ask his sensei such a question. Minato denied the notion that Kushina and him were lovers. It vexed him as he wondered who had gotten Kushina pregnant to begin with.

Kushina, according to her records was a driven person who was determined to reach Jōnin rank as fast as possible. Always taking any mission given to her and performing them with distinction. Kakashi truly wondered about the mystery man who 'knocked her up' as Jiraiya once said. Again he mustered the courage to ask his sensei if he had any idea. The answer shocked him more than he thought.

Minato had demanded that Kakashi keep what he was about to reveal under strict silence. That alone sparked every warning sign that signalled in his head. Minato described a secret relationship between Kushina and a Westerner! The young shinobi was astounded. Of all the various scenarios he had played out in his head none of them included such a concept.

Minato then went on to describe the law regarding relationships between those from differing nations. It made sense to him, as it would clearly define where their loyalties were. What shocked him further was that Kushina found out she was pregnant only after she returned from Konoha from her month long mission.

He had inquired about the father only to receive a negative response. Multiple missives were sent and none were replied to. Whoever the father was, he had vanished from the nation entirely. Kakashi had instantly thought that the man had probably received the message, but didn't want to take responsibility opting to instead flee back to his homeland. When he voiced his thoughts Minato nodded in return saying that he agreed with his line of thought.

In the end what happened, happened. Although, Kakashi quickly asked why Kushina needed protection to begin with. Minato replied that Kushina was no ordinary kunoichi. She was a survivor from the Uzumaki Clan. The clan had been wiped out during the Second Shinobi World War and Kushina had arrived to Konoha as a refugee. After showing clear talent towards the ninja arts, she was immediately placed into the ninja military program.

Minato had explained that the people from the West used an entirely different energy called Mana for their warfare. Children born from the union of a Nihon-jin and a Westerner have shown some skill at utilising both energies, but Kushina's child would be unique. Her child would be the first to have a bloodline with known abilities that could also wield both Chakra and Mana.

Uzumaki were known for their exceptional levels of Chakra, longevity to the point where the average lifespan was at least a century, and their skills in Fuinjutsu. Kushina was one of the few Uzumaki who were beginning to show some abilities that were practically a Kekkei Genkai. Minato had elaborated that if they hadn't perished in the war, they would have given birth to an entirely new Kekkei Genkai in a few more generations.

Since then Kakashi had endeavoured to make sure that Kushina was never in any form of danger. He constantly ensured that she was under surveillance and worked with his sensei to keep her as healthy as possible to make sure the pregnancy would be as smooth a process as it could be. The last thing either of them wanted was for her or the child to die during the birth. The loss of a possible new Kekkei Genkai and a skilled kunoichi would weaken the village.

* * *

><p>She sat down and simply watched the two babies. As time passed by they had shown some strange behaviour. It always made her wonder if they truly possessed Kekkei Genkai. The orphanage had kids of almost all ages, and like most gathering of kids there was always one or two that hated each other for one reason or another. It always seemed so utterly childish to the matron, often leaving her with headaches. Kyōko had simply made sure to keep their rooms far apart from one another. Other than that she didn't really care what happened, as long as it didn't escalate to violence.<p>

It was common to find one of them arguing with another about some silly thing. What gathered her interest was that every time an argument broke out in the presence of Naruto, it would immediately stop as soon as it began. As if they had suddenly been drained of the high emotions that they were displaying moments before.

The kids couldn't figure it out, but Kyōko could sense the usage of Chakra. Being a ninja usually enables one to sense Chakra after years of using and manipulating it. While it would never be as powerful as a sensor, it would be enough to give experienced ninja time to respond in case of surprise attacks and ambushes.

_What kind of Kekkei Genkai manipulates emotions?_

There were many different bloodlines that Kyōko had heard about, but none resembled the effects that Naruto seemed to display. She knew the famous bloodlines that existed since almost the early times of the Ninja Sengoku Jidai and those that emerged later. Sharingan, Byakugan, Mokuton(Wood Release), were prime examples but were well documented.

_Emotional manipulation is more akin to the techniques that the Yamanaka clan uses._

She rubbed her forehead to stave off the headache born from her frustration at the situation.

_Yellow hair and an ability similar to mental techniques. How is it that he isn't a Yamanaka? They searched for the next-of-kin, but found nothing. If he was a Yamanaka then they would have certainly taken him in. Why wouldn't they? He has an affinity for mental techniques that's so instinctive that he's able to use it when he's only a few months old!_

Kyōko shook her head and left to continue her duties around the orphanage.

* * *

><p>Sarutobi finished penning the latest document detailing the expenditure of the village. He gently blew across the paper quickening the ink to dry. After rolling it up he applied the highest encryption seal he had with him to lock it. He informed his secretary that he would be personally leaving the village to deliver the document to the Daimyō.<p>

With that done he moved to the mission centre of the administration building. It took only a few minutes of waiting before a squad of ninja arrived waiting for his command. After a quick briefing the group moved out of the village towards the capital. They opted to travel by tree hopping as it was the easiest method of travel for them. It would allow them to avoid the main roads and move at a fast pace.

As it so happened, Kakashi was at the mission centre looking for any available work and was more than happy to join the Hokage for his delivery mission.

"So Kakashi-kun, I hear you've been taking more missions lately."

Kakashi nodded to the Hokage. "I just felt like I needed something to do, something to keep myself busy."

"Ah, I see," Sarutobi replied. "If it's more work you're looking for then I believe that there's an available spot in ANBU that is still waiting to be filled."

"My old spot?" the young shinobi asked.

"Indeed," Sarutobi replied. "Your comrades in the division felt that they should leave the position vacant until you saw fit to return."

Kakashi was humbled by the knowledge. His captain and squad members had been through many missions together and through moments where they nearly fell within the grasp of death. To know that they held him in such high regard was touching.

Unfortunately such thoughts were interrupted by a sudden onslaught of shuriken. Immediately dropping to the ground he surveyed the area, taking note that the Hokage was unharmed. The forest environment provided much cover for those who were accustomed to it.

Kakashi dug into his equipment pouch and withdrew a kunai in preparation. It was a moment later when from every direction came masked men with blades intent on striking them down. Old instincts kicked in as he sped towards one of the men and deflected his kodachi* away before attempting to stab him in the throat.

He remembered this feeling well from his days on the battlefield. After his teammate Obito had been killed in action during the botched mission to destroy Kannabi Bridge, he had thrown himself into more and more combat situations. Minato had understood exactly what Kakashi was feeling and made sure that he never bit more than he could chew. Rin on the other hand had fallen into a state of deep contemplation for a week before taking a more active role as a combatant and medic.

Kakashi never wanted to feel that sensation of weakness that led him to losing an eye and nearly failing his mission. Rin never wanted to be in a position of weakness that would endanger her comrades. Minato made sure that the experience served as a wake-up call that would motivate them to survive the rage of war.

He ducked under a swing of the sword and struck out with his leg to sweep the enemy off balance. The masked man simply jumped and continued his assault. He threw his sword at Kakashi and made several hand-seals. It was with great astonishment that a spike of wood protruded from the palm of his enemy intent on impaling him.

Kakashi thanked whatever gods would listen for dodging the attack by a hair's breath. He couldn't believe his eyes as the masked man continued his attack with Ninjutsu that utilised wood. It was only after he leapt back to gain some distance that he realised that the mysterious man was actually of shorter than he was. He simply hadn't realised it until there was a pause in the fight.

They exchanged many more moves and found each other to be quite evenly matched until Kakashi's foe leapt back and fled with a burst of speed.

He turned around and found that the rest of the enemy's compatriots had done the same.

"It appears the enemy has fled after finding themselves evenly matched."

Sarutobi nodded in agreement with the assessment.

"Fleeing after the initial ambush fails huh?" Kakashi rhetorically asked.

They slowly scoped the area around them before deciding to move on to their destination at the fastest pace they could achieve.

* * *

><p>The room was quite a small one, only containing multiple shelves that held containers filled with ingredients and samples. A fairly large platform was against the wall was used as a chemistry station to perform tasks that require a mind capable of understanding Western science.<p>

Danzō quietly observed Orochimaru as he mixed various vials of chemicals and observed their reactions, before noting them in a scroll nearby. Danzō was eager to learn about the Western sciences as they brought much new technology that would vastly improve their way of life. Technology that could also evolve their methods of warfare to even greater heights.

"I nominated you for the Hokage title as we agreed," Danzō began, breaking the silence.

"By your tone I would assume things had failed even before it began?" Orochimaru replied, without turning around or pausing in his work. "Minato was always so popular amongst the common rabble."

"Everything went Hiruzen's way," the aged ninja said through gritted teeth.

"No doubt Sarutobi-sensei intended to use Minato as a puppet and continue ruling Konoha."

Danzō made an agreeing noise. "At this rate Konoha will have no future but destruction."

Orochimaru turned around and faced the senior shinobi with a smile. "There's no need to give up just yet. If my research turns out to be useful then we can reap many benefits, but we'll have to skirt around some questionable things and in some cases cross lines that none dared to do before."

Danzō smiled in return. "Anything that will ensure the survival and eternal strength of Konoha is perfectly acceptable. Even if we must trespass into realms of heaven and hell."

Orochimaru chuckled. "With Minato dead and Sarutobi reinstated as Hokage, the village is still in turmoil as it heals from the attack. None will be looking into our affairs."

"Indeed, a most opportune time for us," Danzō replied.

* * *

><p><strong>Explanations for Japanese culture and certain ideasconcepts that I have used, as well as words/terms/names used.**

Kodachi blades are typically from the early Kamakura period (1185–1333) and take a similar shape of a Katana. Kodachi are mounted in the same style as Katana but with a length of less than 60cm. They were carried alongside the Katana and were usually used in circumstances when using the longer blade would be cumbersome.


	12. Chapter 11

**AN: Author Note – Alltariss –** This chapter reveals more about the matron of the orphanage and also reveals sets up the stage for Yamato's introduction into the story.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 11<strong>

**Lingering Nightmares**

* * *

><p>The patrolling guards walked past the door, paused, and then continued down the hall. Kakashi let out a breath that he didn't realise he was holding.<p>

_What the hell am I doing? This wouldn't just get me court martialed, but possibly executed for sedition!_

The particular archive he was inside of was only to be accessed by those with Code Red Clearance. As a Jonin he was granted such access, but only after specifically asking the Hokage or the Jonin Commander for permission. He would have gladly asked the Hokage for access, but that was before he was approached by Danzō.

He had been standing before the Monument of the Fallen, his thoughts wandered to his recently deceased sensei and his fallen teammates. He was now the only one left of the squad that was still alive. So caught up in his thoughts that he hadn't sensed Danzō approaching him.

"Hatake Kakashi, correct?" the senior shinobi questioned.

Startled, Kakashi turned around and immediately bowed in respect. "Danzō-sama."

"I was wondering if you would consider working for me in my division," the elder man asked.

Kakashi was surprised by the request, but nonetheless answered quickly. "But… I was Minato-sensei's…"

"The Yondaime was wise to recruit you into ANBU. Your skill and talent has only grown by your placement in the Black-Ops forces. Minato was good at recognising potential." Danzō stated.

Kakashi blinked rapidly as he processed the praise he received.

"But, unfortunately Minato is no longer with us," Danzō continued, coldly. "If you stay where you are, you will be under Sarutobi's command who has taken up the Hokage title once again."

The elder shinobi's features twisted into a grimace that clearly showed disdain.

"It was his constant ideals that he so foolishly pursued that made the war drag on as long as it did. It was that behaviour that led to the deaths of Uchiha Obito and Nohara Rin."

Kakashi couldn't believe his ears. He knew the Sandaime Hokage as a man who sought peace, but yet the words of the man before him birthed doubt into his heart.

"But…" he weakly tried to speak, yet his tongue failed to function. Unable to come up with any explanation.

"Furthermore," Danzō continued. "On the night of the Kyūbi attack it was his order to have you and the others held back within the barrier that night. Thus, you weren't there to assist the Yondaime. Don't you think that he would have survived if he had back-up with him?"

His words cut through the young shinobi like a hot knife through butter. For days and nights he had dreamt all sorts of scenarios where he was alongside his sensei and in each one he had emerged victorious. Minato was alive and well and everything would have returned to normal.

"I don't want to believe such a thing, but I have begun to suspect that it was a plot to get himself back into the Hokage position after he was forced to abdicate after the messes he made during the war."

Danzō turned and walked away leaving the young teen to ponder over his words.

"It is clear that Konoha cannot be trusted in the hands of such a man," he said before vanishing in a swirl of leaves.

So lost in his memories that he failed to notice the Hokage standing before him in the dark. The Sandaime flicked the light switch and watched amusingly as the young shinobi jumped in fright before realising exactly who had caught him.

"The information you're looking for is in the top left shelf," Hiruzen informed.

"Hokage-sama, forgive me for my curiosity, but after the incident from the trip to the capital…"

The aged man looked weary as he sighed heavily.

"The boy with Mokuton, huh?"

Kakashi nodded. "I was under the impression that only the Shodaime had the ability. Not even his descendants inherited it. So where did this kid get it? A member of the Senju clan?"

"No," the Sandaime replied. "He isn't a member of the clan, but rather a survivor of a terrible experiment."

"Experiment?"

"At some point in time there were multiple kidnappings of young children from around the country. It was only later that we located a facility where these children had been taken. They had been genetically modified, an attempt to replicate the Shodaime's Kekkei Genkai."

"It's clear that whoever it was, they succeeded," Kakashi stated.

"Indeed," Sarutobi replied. "The boy is about ten years of age which matches the timeline of the kidnappings."

"Am I to assume that we should keep him under surveillance?" asking the Hokage for permission to participate in the task.

"Yes, keep tabs on the boy and in time we could induct him into ANBU and will have a valuable asset."

Kakashi kneeled before the Hokage and promised that he would not fail in his task.

* * *

><p>Ever since Danzō found the survivor from the kidnapping incident, he had instantly suspected Orochimaru's involvement. There was no evidence that pointed to who could have been responsible. The introduction of Western technology had radically changed Nihon in the short amount of time that the nation had been exposed to it. While it made life easier in many ways, it also came with its own problems.<p>

The introduction of electricity and technology associated with it had made ninja everywhere stand and take notice. No longer did people use candles or fire as a source of light, when light bulbs were so much more efficient. The introduction of short range radio transmission allowed for the coordination of soldiers on the battlefield to become far more organised. The only thing that didn't improve was the field of medicine.

Each nation's skill when it came to medicine was entirely based on the energy their nation revolves around. Chakra, Mana, Chi, all had their methods of use when it came to the healing arts, but they weren't perfect. Scholars across the world all arrived to the same conclusion when it came to the medical field. The use of their primary energy for medical purposes provided a method to heal people far quicker than relying on older methodologies, but it came with a price. The energies had limitations, barriers that medical experts constantly failed to break through. Thus, while the overall lifespan of the people increased they still failed when it came to curing diseases.

Diseases affected the body in various ways and as such required different methods in order to cure the patient. The problem is that the usage of their respective energies followed the same principle of simply making the patient fight the disease by using their natural immune system. While it worked in most cases, it failed for those whose immune systems were weak since birth or over time. Elderly people when afflicted by an illness had weaker immune systems and couldn't survive the therapy to heal them.

The most prevalent theory amongst researchers was that through the manipulation of a person's genes could allow one to be naturally resistant to diseases that afflicted everyone to the point where even age would not be a problem. The cases of kidnappings for the purpose of genetic experiments wasn't common, but it wasn't a scenario hadn't been considered already.

The first lab was located on an island in Water Country with vats of test subjects all modified in various ways. The scientist behind the incident was a middle-aged woman who clearly had no problems with breaking the law and any ethical or moral principles. The lab was shut down and quarantined before placing it under strict twenty-four hour guard.

Danzō had agreed with the Shogun's decision to not destroy the lab and all its contents. While the research would forever be tainted by the sick twistedness that birthed it, it could still be used at a later date for study when Nihon's own level of technology had risen high enough to comprehend the work done.

That was what Danzō had waited for, hoped for in the future. The only minds who could comprehend the work performed at the labs would be those who not only studied Western sciences, but also thought many steps ahead of the most brilliant minds that Nihon currently had. The scholars and researchers from the capital had all been sent to the lab, but failed to understand the notes and work of the woman who created it all.

_In hindsight we were probably hasty in executing her so quickly for her crimes. It would have been more prudent to first extract all details of her work from her mind and then dispose of her._

The woman had evaded the military and all police forces for three years until the Shogun finally requested that ninja forces become involved. By then she had made a total of three labs before being caught by Suna-nin.

_If we want to have any hope in understanding the work done in any of the labs, we need a brilliant mind. A mind that thinks not ten or a hundred steps ahead, but ten thousand steps ahead of everyone else._

Orochimaru wasn't an ordinary shinobi. The man had shown incredible talent as a young boy and was taught by Sarutobi Hiruzen who was hailed as one of the most feared men in the ninja forces. What made Orochimaru become a legend wasn't his fighting ability, but his intelligence. Danzō had always known that if anyone could understand the work the genetics labs had within, it would be Orochimaru.

_Although now it is clear he has followed the same path as that mad woman._

The old war veteran shook his head in disgust.

_To actually create another lab dedicated to such perverse research… What madness has consumed you? Or is that the price for knowledge beyond all your peers?_

Danzō stopped before the doors to Sarutobi's office. He took a deep breath before entering to explain the situation and plan the assassination of his rival's cherished student.

* * *

><p>As Sarutobi blazed through the trees at breakneck speed his thoughts wandered to his student. Orochimaru was a gifted child; anyone who met the boy in his youth would give the same assessment. His parents were not ninja or had any military heritage. They had been killed by bandits when he was only three years of age.<p>

_Old enough to remember that he had parents, but too young to truly know them._

He was given a scholarship to the Ninja Academy after showing remarkable intelligence whilst his short time at his local civilian school. Since then he only proved to be far more gifted than anyone could imagine. His genius often left him as a loner since the other children failed to understand the world around them on the same level. Sarutobi understood this when he first took the boy on his team.

Yet, Jiraiya and Tsunade were just as equally talented and skilled. Not in the same way, but nonetheless still considered prodigies of the same level as Orochimaru. Their personalities weren't the best of combinations, but war had a way of bringing people together. An orphan determined to make his own way in the world, another orphan who was isolated by his own intelligence, a girl from a clan that may as well be royalty who wanted for nothing.

Sarutobi was a firm believer in teamwork. It was the belief that was inherited from his sensei and from the Shodaime. The lesson he had learnt from Tobirama-sensei was that teamwork didn't just happen. Solid teamwork was born from trials and tribulations equally faced and overcome together. It was because they walked through the fires of war that they become close, a family.

_And now I have to kill you, you who I had come to love as one of my own sons._

Sarutobi motioned for the team to surround the entrance of the facility. Kakashi stood the farthest from the entrance as he was ordered to watch for anyone escaping. The doors of the lab were solid steel and designed to take a decent amount of punishment.

Unfortunately they were never built to keep out a Kage. With a series of hand-seals the Hokage drew a deep breath before unleashing a torrent of flames towards the door. Within seconds the metal heated till it reached an orange glow, at that point Sarutobi increased the temperature of his flames. It melted until all that remained of the entrance was a molten slag. With a hand signal the team rushed through. He looked to Kakashi and nodded towards him, receiving a salute in return to acknowledge their orders. With a calming breath he ran through the destroyed doorway preparing himself to face his student.

Orochimaru calmly stood before the ANBU squad members as they slowly spread out to possibly attack from multiple angles. They didn't dare move as their opponent wasn't one could take lightly. None could ever underestimate Orochimaru's skill in battle, his cunning strategies devastated many in the war.

"What happened?" Sarutobi asked as he stepped into the room. "What changed to turn you towards this path?"

Orochimaru smiled, before chuckling softly. "I wonder about that? Do you truly know _who_ I am? _What_ I am?"

Sarutobi frowned at his words, unsure of what his student was trying to say.

"I want more than what was given to me, more than what you or the village are willing to give. _I want more_."

Sarutobi gripped the staff in his hands with white knuckles. He could feel the tension rising with each second. It was clear to him that his student was no longer of proper mind and needed to be put down. As soon as he tensed, Orochimaru unleashed a technique that he had inherited from his teacher.

"Kanashibari no Jutsu(Temporary Paralysis Technique)."

The technique was a weak one. It wasn't that hard to perform and it entirely depended on the skill and power of the user. Orochimaru was no ordinary shinobi and this particular technique was amongst his favourites to use in battle. He had learnt it to a degree that he could do so without hand-seals or even looking at his opponent.

The entire squad including Sarutobi had instantly frozen as the technique took hold. Orochimaru ran towards the exit only to collapse clutching his stomach. The staff that Sarutobi had slashed at him when he attempted to escape. The staff morphed into a human-sized ape that he instantly recognised.

"Enma," he seethed in anger.

The ape was equally furious at the shinobi. "Make no mistake snake; I will tear your throat out with my bare hands."

Sarutobi shook off the effects of the technique and turned around to attack his student. Orochimaru laughed madly at the scene. The Hokage struck first with a fist towards his head. Orochimaru leaned sideways and retaliated with a short kick to the shin. Sidestepping the move, Sarutobi lashed out with a kick that launched his student across the hallway until he slammed into the wall.

He clutched the wounded side of his body and focused his Chakra to force his blood to rapidly clot.

_Looks like your lessons on Iryō Ninjutsu(Medical Ninja Techniques) came in handy once more, Tsunade._

Sarutobi grabbed Enma who transformed back into a staff and charged straight forward, but it was too late as Orochimaru had formed multiple hand-seals before vanishing from their sight.

"Damn it," Sarutobi shouted. "Shunshin, but I didn't see any illusions of leaves or such meaning he's weak and would seek shelter."

He turned around to return to the squad of paralysed soldiers and would immediately set them on the search for the traitor.

* * *

><p><em>I can't use that technique even if it means healing myself far quicker than normal. The Chakra usage would be more than enough to alert my pursuers of my location.<em>

Orochimaru continued to walk towards the location of one of his allies, the Iburi Clan. He had first met the clan by chance years ago during his own journeys around Nihon. When he first began his genetic experiments he had attempted to recreate the lost Kekkei Genkai of Senju Hashirama.

It was his first foray into the realm of forbidden sciences. He needed many test subjects and had been fortunate to locate and copy records detailing the first person in Nihon to actually step into the dark side of science. Soon after, he had carefully taken many children and kept them sedated at the disposable facility he had built for the single purpose of the experiment.

He had kidnapped a grand total of forty children. None of which were older than five years of age. Their bodies were still young and still malleable to perform the tasks he desired. The most difficult task had been to actually acquire the various genetic samples he wanted to use. He originally desired only the Shodaime's bloodline, but also took his brother's. The Nidaime, Senju Tobirama, showed no signs of a Kekkei Genkai, but was known to have an affinity to water than allowed him to perform techniques that would exhaust or even outright kill other Suiton specialists.

In the end it turned out the experiment was a failure. Every single child had shown signs of organ failure and in some cases their own immune systems would attack their own cells. He abandoned the facility when only five children remained. There was no point in staying if he knew none would survive or add any more data than what he had already collected.

He paused to lean on a tree, his breath deep and rasping. He had managed to put some distance between himself and his pursuers through chaining multiple Shunshin manoeuvres together. The usage of Chakra would leave enough of a trail to at least point them in the right direction.

_They won't use Shunshin to reach me. They would rather chase after me normally to conserve Chakra. I might be wounded, but even they know I won't be so easy to kill. I will never fall to such insignificant whelps still wet behind the ears. Sarutobi-sensei is the only one who would be able to finish me without much trouble. As long as I don't encounter him, I should be able to flee successfully._

* * *

><p>Prior to meeting Sarutobi, Danzō had called in his most secret agent to inform him of his latest task. Danzō considered Kinoe to be amongst his greatest successes. It was purely by luck that he had located the genetics lab that Orochimaru had built before anyone else. The investigation squad he sent in had returned with a small child with them. Weak and with high fever Danzō expended every resource he had available to ensure the child's survival. Afterwards he raised the boy as one of his agents as soon as it was possible.<p>

Kinoe's inheritance from the experimentation was the long dead Kekkei Genkai known as Mokuton. The abilities granted by the bloodline was one of the most feared and respected in the entire nation of Nihon. It was a delicate balancing act when it came to moments where Kinoe would be sent on missions outside the village. Rumours spreading about the sightings of a young shinobi wielding the bloodline soon spread across the nation.

Danzō couldn't be more pleased when his agents across Nihon reported that every ninja force had heard of the news and were each eagerly sending out their forces to investigate. They would never be able to confirm the rumours, but the suspicion alone would make them wary of attacking Konoha in any way.

The door of his office opened and Kinoe walked in before kneeling in respect.

"I have a very important task for you," Danzō informed.

"What will you have me do, Danzō-sama," Kinoe said, still kneeling.

"Orochimaru has betrayed us and the village."

"Am I to assume that he is to be eliminated?"

Danzō shook his head. "I want you to assist him in escaping."

Kinoe paused in confusion before nodding in understanding. "Any side orders?"

"If he asks, inform him that it was me who sent assistance."

"Understood, Danzō-sama."

* * *

><p>Kyōko was resting in the medical tent when she woke up. The white cloth walls, the smell of blood, and the sounds of wounded soldiers reminded her that she was still alive. After the ambush during the mission she was humiliated and left for dead. Luckily she was noticed by a patrol team and was immediately taken to the nearest medical outpost.<p>

She tried to sit up only for a sharp spike of pain to pierce through her. She pulled the collar of the hospital garment and peered down to reveal a series of stitches from one end of her abdomen to the other. Her right arm was sutured and bandaged as she recalled the slightly deep cut she received from a kunai when the enemy attacked.

She noticed the other patients in the beds next to her in the tent. Some were sleeping either from exhaustion or from being injected with a cocktail of drugs. She noticed a few were missing limbs, some lost an arm or a leg, one patient on the far end had nothing but stubs where his arms and legs should be. She felt disgusted at the relief that rushed through her as she thanked whatever gods that would listen that she still had all her body parts intact.

_He'll never be a ninja again. He won't even be able to pursue a life as civilian. What possible job could he seek when he can't even take care of himself? Who on earth would hire such a person, and for what purpose?_

She turned to the entrance when a medic walked in. She noticed Kyōko was awake and moved towards her with haste.

"How are feeling?" she asked, whilst placing her fingers on her wrist and checking her heart rate.

"I only felt pain when I move," Kyōko answered.

"At least the local pain relievers are working," the medic stated. "The wound was luckily not infected when you were dropped off by the patrol team."

With a few hand seals she moved her hands over her midsection and scanned her for any irregularities with the gentle pulse of Chakra.

"I'm afraid you'll have to be here for week before being let out back on the field. If the cut was even a slightly bit deeper you'd have seen your guts spill out."

Kyōko wanted to protest, but stayed silent. She knew better than anyone how close she was to dying.

"I'll have you set on Chakra Therapy and if all goes well you could leave here earlier."

Kyōko swallowed the lump in her throat before speaking.

"What about the team I was with?"

"Dead," the medic answered without pause. "We've sent the bodies back for proper burial."

_Why didn't I die? If I was faster, stronger, then maybe… They would still be alive._

* * *

><p>The night was warm, but Kyōko shivered violently as the memories consumed her in a repeating cycle of agony. She grabbed the covers of her bed as she moved to the far corner of the room to once more conceal herself in the shadows.<p>

She put her hand in her mouth in an attempt to muffle her desperate sobs. The near death experience had left her scarred in more ways than flesh. She remembered the faces of her comrades who were with her on that fateful mission.

She cried and wept as the image of their names engraved on the Monument of the Fallen flashed into her mind. The cries of their wives and the anguish and lack of comprehension on the faces of their children haunted her. They were too young to understand the circumstances that took their fathers away from them.

Their tears were burned into her mind as she stood before their resting place as the last lone survivor. The funeral was silent and not a single word was spoken save for the customary words spoken by the Hokage. As she crawled further into the corner of the room she had only one thought run through her mind.

_Why am I alive?_

* * *

><p>Another chapter done, soon you'll see the descent into madness that the matron goes through.<p> 


	13. Chapter 12

**AN: Author Note – Alltariss –** This chapter reveals the Iburi clan and Yamato in action. Kakashi also get some combat, while Orochimaru plots his escape.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 12<strong>

**Blood On The Wind**

* * *

><p>The Iburi clan were once a clan of skilled warriors. As time passed they slowly developed a Kekkei Genkai that proved to be a double-edged sword. They could turn themselves into smoke, thus any attack would simply pass through them. In the midst of battle it was a valuable skill, but it had a fatal weakness. They would lose the ability to reform themselves if even the slightest breeze were to hit them whilst in their smoke form.<p>

It became instantly clear to their rivals that all they needed to do to defeat them would be to use basic Fūton techniques. In the end their bloodline became their downfall to such a degree that they had to abandon their home and live in seclusion. It would be during Orochimaru's travels that he would encounter the Iburi clan.

Kinoe had learnt of Orochimaru's escape from overhearing a conversation between two members of the pursuit squad. He had travelled in the same direction as the traitor was believed to be, but had found no sign of his objective. Pressing his hand on the grass beneath him channelled his Chakra through the plants. Kinoe wasn't a Chakra Sensor, but he could utilise this method to mimic one. He spread out his awareness and soon enough sensed the fluctuating Chakra of Orochimaru.

"His Chakra isn't stable, no doubt wounded from escaping the kill-squad," he whispered to himself.

Before he consciously cancelled his technique he sensed a large group of Chakra signatures that Orochimaru was walking towards, as well as Kakashi that was approaching from another direction. He closed his eyes and focused entirely on both his objective and the unknown group.

"He's deliberately walking towards the unknowns, so it can be assumed that their affiliates of his."

He leapt to the trees and hurried towards the group of people he assumed were compatriots of Orochimaru. As he progressed through the forest towards his destination his thoughts drifted to his orders. He knew of Orochimaru and his dealings by accompanying Danzō whenever they needed to meet. The snake-like man had always unnerved him on an instinctive level.

Kinoe came to a stop when he reached a giant tree. The size of it easily dwarfed any other tree in the forest and from a casual observation he could tell that it was hollow. He noticed a small snake motif engraved near the base of the tree and recalled from his studies exactly what this place was.

This was one of the meeting places that would be used if Danzō and Orochimaru's dealings would ever be compromised. It was a small secure locale that housed the Iburi clan, allies of Orochimaru. He walked into the entrance that was a small part of the tree cut away at ground level to allow ease of access for people to enter and leave.

Kinoe admired the inner configuration of the base, as a Mokuton user he was stilling learning to form complex structures with his bloodline. History had long told great tales of Senju Hashirama and how he could build entire houses with his Kekkei Genkai. Kinoe had longed to replicate such level of skill ever since he learned of it from his earlier years of education.

As he walked into a large opening he noticed a layer of smoke at his feet that permeated throughout the area. As he reached the centre of the place the smoke thickened and rose above his head, as if seeking to engulf him.

"Who are you?" a voice called out. "How do you know of this place?" it asked sternly.

"Danzō-sama sent me, I come with urgent business regarding Orochimaru-sama," Kinoe answered immediately.

The volumes of smoke all coagulated into multiple shapes before finally solidifying into human form. There were more people than what Kinoe had sensed before, making him wonder if he should improve his Chakra-sensing technique. The man who Kinoe assumed was the leader was tall and well-built for a trained civilian. The Iburi clan wasn't affiliated with any village and so their skills in combat were simply limited to Taijutsu and techniques unique to their smoke forms. They didn't dare fight with any ninja as any competent shinobi would easily destroy them.

Light-skinned, and short brown hair with a small two-part moustache. He wore a simple and ragged grey vest, dark grey pants, and sandals. Kinoe could be certain that the man before him was easily the strongest in the clan. He noted that the majority of the people around him were young. He didn't see a single elder amongst them. The young agent slipped his hand into a pocket in his vest and withdrew a scroll which he handed over to the elder man.

"This contains critical information regarding Orochimaru-sama."

The man opened the scroll and read it contents before verify the signature.

"This is Danzō-sama's signature, no doubt about it. I am shocked to hear that Konoha has betrayed Orochimaru-sama so easily. Nevertheless we shall prepare for his arrival."

He closed the scroll and with a small pulse of Chakra, activated the self-destruction seal. The scroll disintegrated into dust and would leave no evidence for others to discover.

"I am the head of the Iburi clan, Gotta," the man introduced himself. "May I know your name, Shinobi-san?"

Kinoe removed his ceramic mask. "I am Kinoe-"

"Tenzo?!" a young girl cried out from behind him.

"Yukimi," Gotta called sternly, though she ignored him.

The girl, Yukimi, was about the same height as Kinoe with a similar complexion as Gotta, but with long wavy brown hair. Kinoe quickly noted her features, her blue eyes with freckles underneath them, her clothing consisting of a ragged sleeveless kimono which had long since turned brown from its original white and straw sandals.

The young shinobi ignored the outburst and chalked it up to childishness and mistaken identity.

_I have little time for such things._

"The situation as it is now is precarious," Kinoe stated loud enough so everyone could hear him. "If unforeseen circumstances were to occur such as Konoha's betrayal of Orochimaru-sama or Danzō-sama, then it was previously agreed that they would come here for aid."

"Then Orochimaru-sama is coming here?" Gotta asked.

"I'm certain of it," Kinoe replied. "He's being pursued by an entire ANBU unit, but at this moment they've scattered to cover more ground. According to what I've been able to sense only one ANBU member is heading towards this location."

The entire clan instantly burst into hushed whispers and conversations. It was clear to them that they may need to step in and fight. Gotta raised his hand and silence soon followed.

"Do you know who the pursuer is?" he queried.

Kinoe nodded affirmatively. "Hatake Kakashi."

Gotta's eyes widened in surprise. "Hatake? Is he related to…"

"He is the son of Hatake Sakumo, the Shiroi Kiba(White Fang). He most likely tracked Orochimaru-sama by summoning his Ninken."

Gotta scratched his chin in thought. "We will fight Hatake, of that you can be sure of, but the fighting will no doubt attract others of his unit."

Kinoe placed his hand upon his chest. "Leave the rest up to me. I will ensure Orochimaru-sama leaves the country safely without fail."

"Orochimaru-sama helped us greatly and we owe him much."

Gotta turned towards his clan and spoke loudly.

"Everyone get ready for battle and make preparations for Orochimaru-sama's arrival."

Everyone dispersed hurriedly to quickly get things ready. Kinoe was about to leave when Yukimi grabbed his arm and pulled him towards a particular part of the wall nearby. She pushed him flat against the wall and stood back to gaze at him. Kinoe was confused until he saw markings on the wall.

_She's checking my height? What is the purpose of this?_

"It's exactly the same as Tenzo's," she exclaimed.

"Enough of this Yukimi," Gotta scolded. "He's not Tenzo."

Feeling fed up of not knowing what was going on, Kinoe quickly asked who Tenzo was.

"Yukimi's brother," Gotta answered. "He isn't here anymore. We placed him in Orochimaru's care three years ago."

Kinoe's brow narrowed in thought.

_Three years ago? I've never heard of Orochimaru taking in any child besides Mitarashi Anko._

"Yukimi," Gotta called. "Show him around while we get things ready."

The girl nodded and motioned for Kinoe to follow. She revealed to him various passageways that led to different areas and some which simply looped around to lead one back to where they started. Eventually she led him to an open area with small tree saplings that were planted in an unordered fashion.

"This is our graveyard," Yukimi started. "Instead of using headstones we plant trees."

Kinoe gazed at all the plants and could feel their presence despite being overshadowed by the giant tree they lived in.

"I like to think the souls find refuge in the trees and protect us."

"The soul, huh?" Kinoe said softly.

"Our ability to transform our bodies into smoke was incomplete. We didn't have total control over the smoke either. Some would simply turn into smoke without notice, sometimes the smoke would just dissipate without turning back into the body."

Kinoe looked up and noted the holes in the ceiling to allow for sunlight and rain to fall within the area to keep the trees healthy.

"Members of our clan never live long lives. You probably noticed that there weren't many elders, huh?"

He nodded. He had wondered why there wasn't any as they couldn't have died in battle. Most elders would have stayed at home to care for the young ones.

"It's why we planted so many trees…" Yukimi whispered as she placed her hand on a particular tree that was most likely there for a few years, as it was twice their height.

"But that was when Orochimaru-sama came to our aid," She continued.

Kinoe gave her his full attention. He had listened to her describe her clan's past and ability and it had matched the files he had read on them before he left on this mission. In the back of his mind he had wondered how such a clan could have survived this long without dying out.

Yukimi moved her hair out of the way and revealed a seal printed on the back of her neck.

"He created a seal that helped give us better control over our ability, but he said the seal wasn't complete and needed more research to perfect it. That's why Tenzo was sent to Orochimaru-sama as a research subject."

_Research subject…_

"The younger you are the stronger the ability tends to be. It's only after you age that you start to lose control."

"But then that left you as the only child here," Kinoe stated, his mind starting to work rapidly to understand what exactly what happened.

_What the hell were you doing Orochimaru?_

"That's nothing to be worried about," Yukimi said smiling. "It's not like any of the children he took with him are going to die. Even if he asked for me when he arrives today, I'd be happy to go. I'd get to see all of them again."

* * *

><p>Kakashi stopped in front of a giant tree which his ninken had directed him to after picking up multiple scents within the area. The young ANBU dismissed and thanked them for their assistance. He walked into the entrance of the secret clan and soon found himself in a clearing.<p>

"Where am I?" he whispered to himself. "Looks like I've found myself in a weird place."

As he progressed forward he was unaware of being watched. Kinoe and Yukimi lay hidden several levels above looking down on the intruder. As Kakashi wandered into the centre of the clearing he was soon engulfed in smoke.

_Is this mist? No, it's more like smoke?_

He turned around and tried to get a grasp of his surroundings, but couldn't see beyond an arms-length away.

_This isn't natural, which means it's a diversion. In that case…_

He removed his mask and revealed his Sharingan.

_Let's see who you are._

Before he could even react, a plume of smoke solidified and formed an arm that grabbed the young shinobi by the throat and lifted him into the air. The rest of the body manifested and revealed that the attacker was Gotta.

"That mask… You're Konoha ANBU aren't you?"

Kakashi placed his palms on Gotta's arm and sent a jolt of lightning Chakra. The elder man was forced to release the shinobi by the electrical discharge. Kakashi stepped back only to be grabbed from behind by another man. A plume of smoke solidified and formed yet another assailant who charged at the boy fist raised. Fortunately, with his Sharingan Kakashi was able to evade it enough so that the man's punch hit the one who held him. As soon as he was free Kakashi leapt into the air and clung to the wall above the smoke with Chakra.

_What the hell is this technique?_

As he gazed below all the smoke cleared to reveal the clan members that were ready to fight.

"I'll take care of him," Gotta stated confidently, before turning into smoke.

Kakashi leapt towards the ground in the hope to escape and come up with a plan to counterattack. Gotta swirled himself around the boy before entering his body through his nose and mouth. Kakashi jerked awkwardly before grabbing his throat and other parts of his body. Moments later he started screaming in pain whilst writhing on the ground.

"Ibushimi no Jutsu(Body Oxidation Technique)," Gotta whispered in his ears. "Your entire body will suffer oxidation much like iron. Blood, organs, nerves, muscles, even your Keirakukei, all of it will suffer under my jutsu."

Kinoe leapt down near the tortured shinobi and observed the terrifying technique. He had now witnessed exactly what sort of skills such a bloodline can grant to a combatant. It was clear that while the Kekkei Genkai had easily exploitable weaknesses, it also granted incredible power.

_High reward, high risk type of ability. Not something an ordinary person could wield with ease._

"I know what you seek," Gotta whispered to Kakashi. "I will definitely make sure you never come anywhere close to Orochimaru-sama."

Kakashi could barely comprehend the sheer amount of pain that coursed through his body. He could feel his bones grinding, muscles tearing, and skin breaking. He knew that if he didn't do something now he would wind up dead.

_He's taken over my body, essentially turning it against me. He's using his Chakra to cause all of this to happen. If that's the case then I just need to counter using my own Chakra._

He focused his Chakra into his hand and formed a haphazard version of his signature technique, Chidori(One Thousand Birds). He slammed his hand against his chest, electrocuting himself. While doing such a thing would kill a normal person, Kakashi had a high affinity for Raiton(Lightning Release) as well as the technique being created with his own Chakra. Which meant that he would hardly take any damage at all, but Gotta would not be so lucky. Immediately smoke poured out of the young shinobi's mouth and solidified into Gotta who was now kneeling on the floor in pain.

"You little shit," Gotta screamed through clenched teeth. He quickly stood up and drew and short blade from behind his back. Kakashi mirrored his action by drawing his own blade. They both stood a few metres apart, each in their stance. As if some signal fired off, they leapt towards one another with the intent to kill. The rest of the clan all stepped far back to avoid getting in the crossfire.

Kakashi jumped above Gotta and spun to strike him, but was parried as the man turned around. Gotta front flipped towards the boy bringing his sword down, utilising the spin of his body and gravity to increase its force. Kakashi tilted his blade diagonally to allow the strike to flow downwards along his sword and away from his body. He spun around on the spot and attempted to slice the man in half, but Gotta brought this sword up in a reverse grip to parry the move. Kakashi attempted a textbook overhead cut, but was once again countered.

The two opponents pressed against one another, sword against sword, for a few moments before disengaging. They immediately tried to strike the other during the split-second lull in the battle, but failed to land a hit. Kakashi swept his blade at Gotta's legs, only for the man to flip over it and strike down at the boy. Kakashi kicked towards Gotta's hand to disarm him, but failed as the man released his grip to make the shinobi's kick simply spin his blade like a fan in the air. Gotta lashed out with a series of leg sweeps, then grabbing his sword mid spin before it hit the ground. He then performed a reverse spinning back kick only for Kakashi to duck beneath it. He jumped over the kneeling ninja and tried to cut him, but the boy rolled out of the way.

They exchanged many more attacks as they each stood their ground. Kakashi deflected his enemy's blade upwards leaving his chest wide open.

"Gotcha," Kakashi cried out in premature victory as he found his sword simply phase through the man.

_Shit! I forgot he could turn into smoke, but I didn't know he could partially shift his body into smoke. And to do so with such accuracy, it's maddening._

Gotta took the opportunity the strike his foe down but was denied when Kakashi leapt back and immediately turned about-face. He didn't have time to be confused about the ninja's actions as he ran away from him towards the exit.

"Do you honestly think I'm going to let you escape that easily?" Gotta rhetorically asked as he followed the boy.

Kakashi made it to the outside and turned around to face the exit. His mind ran at a million miles per hour as he calculated various stratagems to defeat his opponent.

_He can turn into smoke and render physical attacks useless. He won't try and take over my body with the Ninjutsu he used before since I can simply shock myself again. Thus, he's left with physical attacks. There has to be a weakness that I can exploit!_

Gotta reached the exit but stopped short of actually leaving the tree, his feet inches away from the sunlight. He gazed upwards and observed the branches to see if there was any wind. Seeing that the air was calm, he tentatively took a step into the sun and vowed to kill the intruder if it was the last thing he did.

_Of course! He and the others lived in the cave-like tree because there wasn't any wind. They can turn into smoke, but a decent breeze would dissipate them. Wind pretty much equals death!_

Kakashi noted that the current weather was sunny and pleasant. The air was calm now, but wind could pick up at any moment. All he had to do was keep him fighting outside and eventually the wind would kill him off. The young shinobi quickly lead the man further away from the entrance to entice him into his own death.

* * *

><p>Orochimaru slowly entered the entrance of the tree and painstakingly made his way through the tunnel. The wound he received from Enma was difficult to heal and refused to be affected by medical Chakra. He knew that it wasn't poison, it simply wasn't Sarutobi's style, but something was hampering his attempts to recover.<p>

He eventually found himself in the main chamber of the tree and leaned against the walls for support.

"Orochimaru-sama?" a voice called out. "It really is Orochimaru-sama!"

Soon every member of the Iburi clan appeared and helped guide Orochimaru to place where he could rest awhile. A woman with a small medical kit and several rolls of bandages arrived to help clean and heal his wounds.

"Where is Gotta?" Orochimaru asked, seeking the leader of the clan.

"A member of the ANBU unit that was part of the kill squad, Hatake Kakashi, arrived and is currently being taken care of by Gotta."

Orochimaru turned to the one who spoke and was surprised to see a young ninja with a ceramic mask, typical of black-ops forces.

"I assume that you're a part of Danzō's forces?" the elder ninja asked.

The boy nodded. "I was sent here in Danzō-sama's place to ensure you escape the country without fail."

The man smiled, it felt good that his back-up plan was working out perfectly. Soon he would be able to leave the country and start afresh in a place far from any military force that would seek to stop him.

"The rest of the kill squad is scattered to cover more ground, but the only one to actually track you down was Kakashi. His Ninken summons were especially useful in that regard. The border isn't that far from here and within a few hours one could easily make it through."

Orochimaru chuckled at the briefing.

_Hatake Sakumo's brat, huh? Last I heard he was on suicide-watch after he was forced to kill his lover. Guess he found the resolve to move on, an admirable trait, one I truly respect. Like a snake would shed its skin, one must shed themselves of anything that would burden them and continue forward. I can expect great things from you Hatake Kakashi._

* * *

><p>Kakashi threw a salvo of kunai forcing Gotta to jump back. As the young shinobi ran towards his foe he quickly slipped the tip of his sword through the hole near a kunai's handle and picked it up from where it stuck in the ground. Without pause he swung his blade, throwing the kunai towards his enemy. Gotta was caught off guard and quickly turned his chest into smoke to allow the attack to phase through.<p>

Kakashi struck horizontally with his sword, but misjudged the distance between Gotta and the tree behind him. The sword jammed itself in the bark of the tree leaving himself wide open. Gotta sidestepped and attacked, but the boy rolled backwards, relinquishing his blade. He picked up one of the kunai on the ground from his earlier attack. By the time he refocused his attention he was already forced to inhale Gotta in his smoke form.

"Die," Gotta commanded.

Before he could truly activate his technique the body he inhabited was struck down by another Kakashi. The body burst into Chakra forcing Gotta to retake human form. He leapt up onto a branch and smirked at the shinobi.

"How does it feel to kill your own clone?" Gotta taunted.

Kakashi didn't reply, instead he let another clone of his throw a few kunai at Gotta before dispelling. Gotta dodged them all except for one which left a small cut on his shoulder. The real Kakashi was already there and struck downwards at the man, only for him to take smoke form again. A few leaves from the trees around them fell and Gotta instantly noted the way they floated irregularly. Panicking as he didn't want to be in his smoke form whilst there was any wind, he retook human form completely forgetting who was behind him.

By the time the breeze reached them Kakashi had pierced Gotta straight through the heart, till the hilt of his blade touched his back. Gotta stared at the metal protruding from his chest, unable to believe what had occurred. He coughed and took shuddering breaths as blood dripped down his chin.

"You… You, bas-" He never finished his sentence as Kakashi twisted the blade.

With a great heave the young shinobi put all his weight behind his sword and slashed diagonally, the blade flowing down along the bones of the ribcage. With a squelch the sword was free and copious amounts of blood sprayed forth turning the green leaves red. Gotta collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut and fell down from the branch and onto the earth.

Kakashi turned over the corpse with his foot and observed the body. Gotta's eyes stared emptily back at him. It was a sight the boy was used to after all his time spent in the war. He knelt down and respectfully closed the man's eyes. He withdrew a scroll from his flak-jacket and opened it to reveal a complex seal array. This wasn't an ordinary scroll, it was an experimental one given to soldiers so that they may carry the bodies of their fallen comrades back home for proper burial. It also was used to prevent the enemy from claiming the corpses of their comrades for research.

In this case Kakashi was using the scroll to capture an enemy corpse. He was certain that Kirabachi would be eager to study the body and learn its secrets. With an entire clan of people capable of such skills, he was certain that as soon as every ounce of knowledge was drained from the body, Konoha would send in a strike team to kill them all. It was clear who they were affiliated with and the village would show no mercy.

With the body now secure Kakashi turned to return to the clan base with sword in hand.

* * *

><p>The wound was cleaned and stitched, it wasn't a perfect solution but it would suffice. Orochimaru had spoken to the young ROOT operative whilst having his injury taken care of. He was surprised to find out that the boy was able to use Mokuton. He recalled that he had left the genetics lab when only five test subjects remained, it was clear that the boy was the only survivor. He made a note to sincerely thank Danzō. He had actually found the lab first, then raised the surviving child in secrecy, and was now helping him escape from Sarutobi's kill squad.<p>

_What luck you have Danzō, to find the boy and raise him as one of your operatives. I can only imagine the chaos it would have caused if Sarutobi had found the lab or if Minato himself had located it. I can expect great things from you, Kinoe._

Orochimaru stood up and slowly twisted and turned to judge his mobility. It wouldn't do to have his wound burst open mid travel or combat.

"Orochimaru-sama," a young voice called for him.

He turned to it and noticed that it was a small girl about the same height as Kinoe. His mind recalled that she was one of many children he had given a prototype version of the seals he was developing. The one he had given to the children of the Iburi clan were meant to stabilise their Kekkei Genkai and improve their lifespan.

_After all it wouldn't be good if they simply died out. I would hate to lose future test subjects._

"Ah, you must be," Orochimaru paused for a moment to recall her name. "Yukimi-chan, right?"

The girl smiled and her entire mood brightened considerably.

"You actually remember me?" she asked in awe.

The man smiled at her. "Of course, how could I ever forget?"

"Will you be taking me with you like the other children?" she asked.

The elder shinobi nodded and smiled wide enough to see his slightly elongated canine teeth. Before they could continue their conversation, a grey-haired youth interrupted them.

"You won't be going anywhere when I'm done, Orochimaru."

Orochimaru faced the boy and observed his demeanour. It was clear that the child wasn't afraid of him like many others, but he was cautious. He knew he would have to treat the boy like a real soldier; he wasn't just some meat shield but a real warrior. A boy who survived the fires of war to emerge a seasoned fighter.

_Though I would still say he has a decade or two before he can truly fight in the same league as me._

"Where's Tou-chan?" Yukimi asked. "He was fighting against you wasn't he?"

Kakashi raised his sword and revealed the blood and gore that painted it red.

"What do you think happened?" he retorted, showing his blood-covered uniform.

Yukimi stared at the boy with wide eyes, her head shaking in disbelief. She knew her father wasn't weak. He was the strongest in their clan! No one else matched him in a fight. They were times when intruders would accidentally discover their home and needed to be dealt with, but she had always seen her father fight and walk away victorious. Yet, here was a boy just a few years her senior. A boy that had slain her father and acted as if it was nothing.

"It can't be. It's not true, you're lying!" she screamed.

Orochimaru placed a hand on her head and pulled her close to him.

"It's alright Yukimi. I know it's hard to understand, but what you see is the truth."

She gripped his shirt and shook as tears poured forth.

"Your father was a great man, who loved you so _dearly_," he spoke soothingly.

He knelt down to her level and looked her in the eye.

"Do you wish to join me, Yukimi? I can train you to be a great shinobi."

Yukimi sniffed and rubbed her eyes and cheeks. "Will I be strong?" she asked, her face morphing into one filled with fury. "Strong enough to kill him."

_Honestly Hatake, you're making this too easy for me. It usually takes months, even a year or two to fully condition a child into having the proper mindset of an obedient killer. Your little show will serve as an excellent reminder for her, one she will remember throughout her training. She will never forget what you've done, until she rips your heart out with her bare hands._

"You are fortunate that I am in no condition to fight," Orochimaru stated. "But I'm afraid you won't be able to stop me."

"And why is that?" Kakashi asked, taking a fighting stance.

Before he could react, multiple limbs of wood burst from the ground and wrapped around him. The wooden limbs snaked around his legs and chest, while also keeping his arms tied together above his head.

"Mokuton: Shibari(Wood Release: Restraints)."

A masked ninja with a ceramic mask much like the one Kakashi had with him dropped down from above. Kakashi recognised him as the shinobi he fought during the attack against the Hokage. Orochimaru held onto Yukimi and formed a single hand-seal, before vanishing in a swirl of leaves taking the girl with him. Kinoe also disappeared in a similar fashion since his mission was officially complete.

Many of the remaining clan members glared at Kakashi, thinking that they could kill him now that he was tied up. Fortunately, the young shinobi had the foresight to create a Kage Bunshin(Shadow Clone). The clone dispelled leaving the clan confused as to what happened, whilst the real version of him fled the area. Kakashi leapt from tree to tree feeling incredibly frustrated. He vowed to himself that he would improve, the battle with Gotta had taken too long resulting in Orochimaru escaping.

* * *

><p>It was the anniversary of the deaths of her team-mates. Kyōko left the care of the orphanage in the hands of her assistants, but took Naruto and Alto with her in a baby carriage. As she wandered throughout the streets of the district she was greeted with the usual sights that adorned this sector of the village like a glove fit a hand.<p>

Drunks lying in the street from alcohol fuelled nights, prostitutes displaying their wares for any lonely man looking for a warm bed partner, dealers with mixtures of powders designed to send their consumers on wild trips of colour and euphoria. Such was the district she now lived and worked in.

Kyōko left the district and made her way to another, more civilised, part of the village. Shiro District had the main roads that lead to almost every other district in the village. Her destination was a particular shop that sold flowers, Yamanaka Flowers. Naruto was an addition the Yamanaka's wouldn't expect.

She held the firm belief that Naruto was an illegitimate child from the clan and was thus not taken in. Yet, she took both children with her as to ascertain the reaction of the clan leader, Yamanaka Inoichi. If Naruto was truly a child of the clan then she theorised that the clan head would feel uneasy around the child.

_Proof of his heritage._

The door pushed open and knocked the small contraption designed to sound bells to alert the shop clerk that a customer arrived. It was to her advantage that Inoichi was currently working at the counter today. As she wheeled the carriage towards the counter she discreetly noted the reaction of the clan leader.

While she didn't expect any overt sign of his uneasiness to the child's presence, she could note the very subtle tension in his jaw.

_So he does know who the child is. But I doubt that it belongs to him. Unless he cheated on his wife, which is very doubtful. Akiko is certainly a beauty. I can't imagine any sane man cheat on her, unless she's lacking. Again doubtful since they recently gave birth to a beautiful baby girl._

"Welcome to Yamanaka Flowers, How can I help you?" Inoichi said brightly.

"Good morning, Inoichi-sama, I was hoping to buy some flowers for my comrades," Kyōko replied.

Inoichi's brow raised slightly, clearly understanding the meaning hidden behind her words.

"Is there any particular flower you were hoping to get?"

"Hyacinths, purple ones if you have them," she requested, politely.

Inoichi nodded and moved towards a door behind him and disappeared for a few minutes. Afterwards he returned with a small bouquet of purple flowers.

"Here, exactly as you asked," Inoichi said, placing them gently on the counter.

Kyōko paid for them and thanked him before leaving the store with a sense of accomplishment. Bringing Naruto was a bonus as she had finally got the answer to the questions that tossed and turned in her mind. It was clear that the child was a part of the Yamanaka clan, an illegitimate child. She thought it was clear that Inoichi knew very well who the parents were.

As she walked to the cemetery she pondered over the reason why the secrecy was even necessary to begin with.

_Why not take the child into the clan? Even if the child was illegitimate the public wouldn't know anything about his parentage. How could they? Even ninja forces wouldn't know. The secret would be contained within the clan and no one outside would know of it. Why would you deny a child with this much potential?_

The cemetery was populated with a sparse few leaving her with plenty of privacy. As she moved towards the particular graves of her comrades, she felt an uncomfortable tightness in her chest. The feelings of guilt weighed heavily on her.

"It's been a while hasn't it," she whispered softly as she placed the flowers down gently.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Author Note – Alltariss –<strong> This is the final chapter of the old chapters. From here on out it's all new stuff.


	14. Chapter 13

**AN: Author Note – Alltariss –** This chapter is all about Orochimaru and the beginnings of genetics in Nihon.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 13<strong>

**Genetic Heresy**

* * *

><p>The council room was abuzz with many whispered conversations. Each member of the council was unaware as to why the meeting had been called. Sarutobi entered the chamber still in his battle armour, garnering many confused looks from the attendees.<p>

"Thank you for arriving as promptly as possible, but the current situation is quite dire," Sarutobi began. "Orochimaru has defected from Konoha and is currently a rogue ninja."

The entire chamber burst into exclamations of shock and demands for answers. The Hokage raised his hand for silence and waited till the chamber was quiet.

"The Daimyō had been receiving many reports regarding civilians and soldiers going missing. The number of people going missing was increasing as time passed and eventually the Daimyō sent us a missive requesting our involvement."

Sarutobi paused to take a sip of water that was quickly provided for him upon his arrival to the meeting.

"Now the problem wasn't just isolated to the country, but also to our village. There have been incidents where some of our soldiers from border patrol have just vanished without a trace. To add to the confusion, is that there were very minimal signs of resistance."

Hiashi raised his hand and Sarutobi quickly motioned for him to speak.

"Why weren't we informed of these reports regarding our own soldiers? If we were told of this then we could have reorganised our troops to better prevent any further incidents."

Many of the other shinobi in the council nodded in agreement with the exception of the Jōnin Commander, Shikaku. Not surprising considering that he was informed of the issue from the beginning.

"We had good reason," Shikaku stated to his fellow councilmen. "It was obvious to us after the first few reports that whoever was doing this was a part of our own forces. They would have had access to information regarding patrol routes and other general information that would be available under the right circumstances. If we suddenly changed the way we dispatched troops then the traitor would have been alerted that we were aware of his presence."

"Unfortunately," Sarutobi continued, picking up from where Shikaku left. "The evidence eventually led to Orochimaru."

Danzō tapped his cane on the ground gathering the chamber's attention.

"Of all the people to turn traitor in our village, it just so happens to be _your_ student. I can't help but wonder what could have pushed him to such a degree as to turn his back on _your_ teachings?"

The old Hokage clenched his teeth and maintained a neutral look.

"Whether he was my student or not, the fact remains that he betrayed us _all_."

Shikaku interjected to hopefully cut off the political battle between the two men.

"Orochimaru was able to successfully flee the country and for the time being we've added as much security to our borders as we can. I doubt that he would try to enter the boundaries of the country and will most likely try to gather allies and obtain a safe-house to hide in until he can find a more permanent solution."

"We will have to mitigate any kind of damages that this incident has caused before we end up with a political situation we can't fix," Sarutobi said, mentally preparing himself for a long night of deliberation.

Orochimaru was a high ranked shinobi. The amount of information he had regarding the village and its operations was far higher than most. If given to another Hidden Village it would grant them an immense advantage if another conflict were to break out.

Fortunately for the aged leader, Danzō had informed him prior to the meeting that Orochimaru had no intentions of joining another Hidden Village. According to the information he had acquired, Orochimaru was intent on staying in the shadows for a long time.

* * *

><p>"Bullshit."<p>

Sarutobi wilted under the harsh glare of his student.

"Jiraiya," he started. "I know what it sounds like and trust me, this is _no joke_."

His student turned his face away, still showing much anger in his features.

"Orochimaru wouldn't commit such crimes. He always loved studying and learning, but what you say is _far_ beyond such desires. Such crimes are committed by the depraved."

The Hokage could only sigh in a tired manner. Even after confronting Orochimaru he had not truly believed that his student had betrayed them all. Perhaps the shock hadn't set in, or maybe he just needed to come to terms with his pupil's actions.

"I'll look for him," Jiraiya declared. "I'll find him and demand an answer for his actions."

Sarutobi grit his teeth for a moment, unable to voice anything. He could barely raise a fist towards Orochimaru when he had found him. How could he expect Jiraiya to do what he had failed?

"And if it turns out that such actions are true, what then?" he questioned. "The two of you are-_were_– brothers in all but blood. If he admits to such crimes, could you _really_ find it within yourself to kill him?"

"I…" Jiraiya struggled to answer his teacher's questions. "I don't know Sensei, but…"

He matched Sarutobi's gaze and hardened his expression.

"I do know that if I don't try, I'll regret it for the rest of my life. It'll haunt me for eternity to not know what his answer to me will be."

With that said, Jiraiya turned about-face and walked out the office without pause. Leaving to seek the flurry of questions that plagued him since he was informed of his comrade's defection.

* * *

><p>Kyōko was currently in the library reading through a historical text. She had been investigating the mystery surrounding the two orphan babes since she suspected that Naruto was an illegitimate bastard of the Yamanaka clan. Naruto continued to display the effects of his mental abilities, Kyōko thought it lucky that only she suspected anything at all.<p>

Alto was, as far as she was aware, a normal child besides having strange eyes. Although she had begun to notice that despite being blindfolded he seemed aware of his surroundings as if he wasn't stripped of sight. The only reason she didn't assume he was a Hyūga was because she didn't see any bulging veins around his eyes. The tell-tale side-effect that the ability was activated.

After spending day after day and hours at a time reading through every historical archive she could get with a veteran security access, she still found very little regarding Naruto. Any reference to the mental abilities of the Yamanaka clan wrote about their skill at extracting information from the unguarded minds of their enemies.

She was about to close the book she was currently skimming through until she noticed the word 'emotion' among the paragraphs. It was about a skirmish during the Third Shinobi World War involving the current head of the Yamanaka clan, Inoichi. It mentioned that he had used a technique at long range that caused an enemy to attack his own comrades in a blind rage.

It sounded similar enough to what Naruto seemed capable of. Naruto drained the anger out of the other children whenever a fight broke out, other than that he hadn't shown any other abilities.

_Maybe he absorbs their anger and stores it? All so that he can dump it within an enemy using the same technique as Inoichi did._

A small chime sounded off in the hall signifying that the library would close soon. She closed the book and made her way out. She left the building with more questions than answers.

* * *

><p>"Orochimaru!"<p>

The ground shattered under the impact of Jiraiya's kick sending sharp shards of earth everywhere.

"How surprising," Orochimaru said. "Mimicking Tsunade are we?"

Jiraiya had tracked his team-mate down after weeks of travelling around the nation. When he had confronted him, it was exactly as his teacher had said. He couldn't understand any of it. The why and when never matched any of his memories regarding his comrade.

_Surely there would have been a sign, something that could be construed as betrayal. This sort of madness isn't something that happens overnight._

"Why?" Jiraiya demanded. "Why go to such lengths? What goal could possibly justify such crimes?"

It started as a chuckle and progressed into full blown laughter. Orochimaru continued to laugh without a care in the world. Jiraiya could see it in his eyes, the grip of madness that could only be found in those too far gone.

"Everything in this world will perish," he said, gripping his face tight enough to almost break the skin. "The world, the land, the village, even the legacies left behind. They will all disappear in time."

Jiraiya could only watch in silence at his comrade's actions. If he wasn't certain of it before, he was now. The Orochimaru before him was completely insane, no doubt about it.

"Just what the fuck are you on about?!" Jiraiya shouted, trying to calm himself before he attacks in blind fury.

"I refuse to simply vanish like all others. I, and I alone will ascend to heights that none have ever reached."

He retched as if sick and from his open mouth a legendary blade emerged, the Kusanagi. Grasping the blade in hand he brandished it towards his enemy.

"Immortality Jiraiya, to exist long after all others have faded into dust. That is what I'll become."

The sage of toads quickly slipped a kunai in hand. He charged forward to fight his comrade to the death, hoping that he had the heart to see his choice through.

* * *

><p>"You know," a young Chūnin began lazily. "I <em>really<em> hate gate guard duty."

His partner slumped even further into his chair and grunted in agreement.

The two guards wasted the next few minutes trying to entertain themselves in any way possible, trying to keep boredom away. Before they could continue their small antics a hand slammed down on their desk making them jump in shock.

"Inform Sarutobi-Sensei of my return immediately," a strained voice demanded.

Taking a look at their visitor they soon realised exactly who it was. Jiraiya was covered in bruises and cuts, his clothes and armour were in shambles and broken. His hands were covered in crusted blood and were letting small shards of dried flakes to fall to the ground.

Soon enough the guards rushed to his assistance and ushered him quickly to the hospital for treatment. They had sent a message to the Hokage and were awaiting further instructions as they stood outside the room. They could hear the head of the hospital shouting orders from inside.

Footsteps sounded from the hallway and they quickly saluted as their Hokage stood before them.

"Report!" he demanded from his two soldiers.

"Hagane Kotetsu, gate duty sir!" started one of the men who had a bandage across the bridge of his nose.

"Kamizuki Izumo, gate duty sir!" his partner sounded off. He wore his forehead protector as a bandanna which made some strands of his hair obscure his right eye slightly.

"We were performing our duty as expected when Jiraiya-sama appeared before us wounded and in need of medical assistance. He demanded that you be informed of his return and so we sent a message whilst escorting him to the hospital."

Sarutobi nodded and dismissed them, before entering the room. Inside was Hideo scanning his student's body whilst the nurses were setting up a variety of medicine that the Hokage knew to be commonly used for antidotes for poison. Hideo noticed the Hokage's presence and nodded to let him know that he can question his student without being any sort of distraction.

Jiraiya noticed his teacher as soon as his vision stopped blurring long enough.

"Sensei," he choked out, but was interrupted before he could continue.

"I'm assuming that you found Orochimaru and tried to bring him in?"

Jiraiya nodded jerkily. "He's _insane_ Sensei, whatever part of him that we once thought as a comrade is long gone."

Sarutobi closed his eyes, looking defeated. He knew this would happen, but his student had been so certain that Orochimaru was not what he was now.

"He admitted it, _all of it_," Jiraiya continued. "He's obsessed with immortality, and doesn't care what he has to do to achieve it."

The old man nodded and gave a small sigh before speaking. "I knew that whatever path he's on would be one that conflicts with us all. I knew from the moment I fought against him, after his treason was exposed."

Deep inside, Jiraiya knew that there was something wrong about the entire situation. When he had last spoken with Orochimaru he was the same bookworm that he always was. That was six months ago. The duration seemed too short for such a descent into madness to occur.

He could only bury his feelings and find the resolve necessary to kill the man he loved as a brother.

* * *

><p>Two years pass and Konoha restored itself back to the way it once was. The buildings repaired and reconstructed, those who fell in the Kyūbi Event were honoured, and the shinobi force were once again on the rise.<p>

Sarutobi smoked his pipe in quiet contemplation as he thought over the latest report he had received from one of his patrol squads. The party had found an entrance obscured by foliage and weak Fuinjutsu that was designed to visually conceal it. After disabling the illusion they investigated and found an underground cave that lead to a solid iron door. The door was sealed shut and locked with Fuijutsu. Ill-equipped for the task, they bunkered down at the location and sent a message back to the village asking for assistance.

The Hokage knew exactly what the squad had discovered. Orochimaru had set up multiple labs for his experiments all around the country. When his betrayal had been found out, he had destroyed whatever labs he could access before it became too much trouble. Luckily, there were still some labs left intact and waiting to be investigated.

Danzō and Ishikawa were both alongside him as he organised the mission to secure the lab.

"It's no question that we cannot send anyone from the regular forces," Ishikawa stated. "They have to be ANBU."

The other two nodded in agreement. Sarutobi tapped his pipe before speaking.

"Kakashi would be well-suited for the task. As an ANBU Captain he is more than qualified to investigate the lab."

"I'll be sending one of my own men as well," Danzō said. "How Kinoe performs on this mission will determine if he's capable."

"The Mokuton boy?" Ishikawa inquired. "From what I've seen the kid is more than able to hold himself in combat."

"I need to know if he's ready to shift from ROOT Division to the main ANBU Division," Danzō answered. "He's quite proficient at his bloodline, thus he needs to take a more active role in the village."

"I see," Sarutobi interjected, nodding in understanding. "At the very least the soldiers in Black-Ops will be at ease knowing that we have such power at our command. Do you intend to make the shift permanent?"

Danzō shook his head. "I'll have him transfer back into ROOT after he's built a rapport with the regular forces. If all goes well I can promote him for captaincy."

"I understand that Kakashi and Kinoe have some history?" Sarutobi probed, he knew that Orochimaru wouldn't have escaped the country if Danzō hadn't sent his agent to assist him.

The topic was a sore one between the two rivals, but Danzō had authorised the mission thinking that his friend would not fail in capturing or eliminating his student. In that regard, Sarutobi had agreed that he should have had more resolve and that Danzō's plan was a sound idea to keep up the false pretence.

"Indeed they do," Ishikawa interjected, hoping to prevent old wounds from festering. "While they had opposing objectives they didn't kill one another. Whether or not they can put aside their differences and work together will be the crux of this mission."

With that said they sent out the missives and waited for their chosen soldiers to arrive.

* * *

><p>Kakashi silently praised his young team member for being able to keep up with his pace. When he had seen him in the Hokage's office, he had almost drawn his blade on the young operative. Sarutobi had explained that the nature of their last encounter was the result of poor foresight and miscommunication on his part. Kakashi knew that there was more going on beneath the surface, but wisely accepted the situation without question. If the Hokage had no problem assigning them together then he could, at the very least, be civil to his partner.<p>

Kinoe was quite perplexed about his current mission. ROOT operated on a very different level than that of ANBU. This was the first occasion that he had worked in an official mission alongside a non-ROOT operative. He found Kakashi to be a more than acceptable partner. Intelligent, resourceful, and well experienced in combat. Kinoe had no doubts that he could learn a lot from his new comrade.

Soon they stopped at a small copse of trees within the forest they had traversed through. The area was no different from any other place in the forest and lacked anything that made it distinctive. In a space between three tall oaks was a large bush that reached up to their waist. Moving aside the branches revealed a hole in the ground. They had found their objective.

"I'll go in first and scan the area with my Sharingan," Kakashi stated firmly. "In the meantime make sure that the entrance is concealed. The last thing we want is for any wandering person to stumble upon this location."

Kinoe nodded and began to manipulate the surrounding forestry to bend to his will. More foliage grew granting the entrance absolute invisibility from the world. Kakashi used a kunai to skirt the inside edges of the entrance to check if any traps would be activated. After confirming that it was safe he glued his hands to the entrance with Chakra and slowly lowered himself down.

He immediately lifted his headband and scanned his surroundings, which revealed nothing that would present any danger to them. The only thing his Sharingan picked up was a small flame of Chakra at one end of the underground cavern. It was too small and faint for it to be a person. He deduced that it was part of the defences that protected the lab.

Kakashi signalled to Kinoe that it was safe to jump down. They made their way down to the end of the cave where the small flicker of Chakra was coming from. A steel door with two handles was what awaited them; upon the door was a seal tag. It was obvious to both them that removing or breaking the tag would set off a self defence mechanism.

"I'm going to remove the tag," Kakashi said. "Be prepared to set up any sort of defences."

Kinoe stood a few meters back directly in line with the door, hands already clasped together, ready to perform defensive techniques. Kakashi immediately ripped the tag off the door and leapt back. And not a moment too soon since a series of explosives set off.

"Mokuton: Mokujōheki (Wood Release: Wood Locking Wall)," the ROOT operative shouted, summoning a thick dome of wood to shield themselves.

They stayed within the protective dome until all the shaking had stopped. Even then they waited for a few moments, unsure if the cave would collapse upon their heads. It was with great care that Kinoe slowly opened the dome, and with great relief found that the cave was still fully intact and that they could proceed with their mission. They continued through the broken steel doors and made their way inside the forbidden lab.

The internal structure consisted of many pillars that doubled as large glass vats. It was obvious to Kinoe that they were used for human experimentation. He knew better than most, since the earliest memory he had was living in one. Kakashi had a vague idea, but knew not the extent to which Orochimaru went to in his endeavours.

They reached a room that had multiple files and papers haphazardly spread around. No doubt that it was due to the sudden abandonment of the facility.

_Orochimaru probably took the experiments he didn't want us to see and shut the place down_. Kakashi thought.

The elder operative immediately set about searching the adjacent rooms and mentally documented their status. Kinoe, on the other hand had picked up all the paperwork and was reading through some of the files.

* * *

><p><em>2225, January<em>

_The new lab is functioning perfectly despite small setbacks. The experiments that I performed prior to the construction of this facility were all merely stepping stones to a much grander experiment. The forbidden island facility that once performed multiple experimentations on animals intrigued me. The facility was abandoned and only a single survivor was found, although they perished soon afterwards._

_It was strange that they did not destroy the research that took place there. Especially after the incidents of experimentation that took place simultaneously by that civilian madwoman. Perhaps, it is that they want to understand exactly what took place when they finally comprehend Western science._

_At the moment we are only grasping at the slightest threads of understanding when it comes to Western science. It isn't because we're stupid, or ignorant. It is because we still rely on Chakra-based technology. Though we have used it for many years amongst ourselves for warfare we still do not have a full understanding of what Chakra is, and what its limitations are._

_Nevertheless, I have studied Chakra for many years and have come to a point, or rather an obstacle, that can only be surpassed by applying the methodologies and discoveries that our Western friends have known about and utilised for many years. It is with that understanding that led me to greater heights, and allowed me to discover certain intricacies that only warriors of ancient past had known about. Those ancient warriors of lore obviously failed to pass that knowledge on, either because they died before they could do so, or because they simply didn't trust anyone with such knowledge._

_With the small snippets of information that I acquired from both the island facility and the civilian madwoman, I was finally able to pursue greater experiments. This shall be my first true step in the field of genetics._

_End of Log._

* * *

><p>Kinoe was shocked by what he had discovered. He knew that he himself was the genetic experiment of Orochimaru, but he had believed that he was the first of such experiments. The fact that Orochimaru had begun his foray into genetics long before he was born came as a subtle shock to him.<p>

_Perhaps the only reason why I survived was because I was the culmination of years and years of research. In a way it makes sense, if he had only begun his studies in this particular subject then I would have been one among many failures._

He sifted through a few more files hoping that he would find more answers but instead found an infinite number of questions. Kinoe had very little idea of what genetics actually was. His definition of genetics was that it pertained to the study and use of blood, as both a method to initiate techniques and to add permanence to certain people or objects.

The use of blood in techniques is considered taboo in Nihon. The exceptions were techniques that were part of contract agreements, a primary example being summoning contracts. It was not until the advent of Fuinjutsu which was popularised by the Uzumaki clan that blood was used for more than just contracts. The use of blood to enable a higher form of security such that only those of the same blood lineage could access certain items and documents was invaluable.

Blood became even more valuable when more and more Kekkei Genkai started to emerge from various clans around Nihon. There were some people who thought to mix the bloodlines by strategically having certain couples be married and have multiple children. The results were never quite perfect. The children would instead inherit the bloodline of only one of the parents, either the mother or the father, or would end up with some sort of defect such as a deformed Keirakukei.

* * *

><p><em>2225, February<em>

_The lab is now fully operational and I've been able to perform multiple minor experiments. The small snippets of information that I acquired from the reports from the forbidden island facility have proven themselves to be invaluable. The reports contained small notes regarding the subtle differences in practice when performing experiments on mammal's and the various subdivisions of mammals, as well as the experimentations on both reptiles and insects and their respective subdivisions._

_During my preliminary research I found that certain animals are far more valuable than others in terms of genetic research. This is usually due to a number of factors. Adaptability, response times, endurance. I have always followed my own methodology whenever I've performed experiments, but as of late I've taken to following the Western methodology. I've not completely shifted to the way the Westerners perform their work, but I am slowly transitioning and adapting._

_Their usage of multiple variables and their very precise methods has proven to be most useful. Especially in creating a certain standard that remains constant throughout all my experiments._

_On a completely separate note, my relationship with the snake clan has progressed to a degree where they have revealed startling new information on the topic of Chakra. My knowledge of Chakra had covered the field of medical applications to elemental constructs. I had even gained insight into the existence of Yin and Yang Chakra. The snake clan had revealed to me the existence of a form of Chakra that I have long theorised to exist. I never had any proof to back up my hypothesis, merely circumstantial evidence based off many years of observation both on and off the battlefield._

_After all these years, I shall finally be granted entrance to the fabled Ryūchidō (Dragon Ground Cave)._

_End of Log._

* * *

><p><em>Yin Chakra? Yang Chakra? Ryūchidō? What does any of this mean?<em>

Kinoe placed the file back down as he brooded over his findings.

_This is the second time he's made a reference to some island facility and who is this woman that he refers to?_

Kakashi returned back from his exploration and motioned for his partner to follow.

"Find anything?" he inquired.

"A lot more questions than answers," Kinoe replied.

Kakashi sighed in frustration. "Same here. The rooms are all void of anything but storage tanks. Whatever was going on here must have been important if he took almost all of his work with him."

"Almost?" Kinoe questioned. "So he left something behind. Research we can bring back to the higher-ups?"

Kakashi shook his head. "It's not something we can bring back with us, but he definitely left something disturbing behind."

Kinoe noted the slight tension in his voice. It was clear that whatever he had found had put him on edge.

"You think he left it here on purpose? A message for Konoha to find?"

The senior operative nodded. "When you see exactly what it is, well, it's obvious that he wanted us to find it."

They entered a small chamber with two rows of vats each empty except for the last two at the very end of the room. They glowed a bright blue that illuminated the otherwise dark space. As they approached the storage tanks they could hear a faint hum that came from the mechanical components that kept the tanks functional.

Kinoe noted that the air was cold and that the glass had a thin layer of frost that obscured the contents within. He wiped away part of the frost and was greeted with a horrendous sight. Within lay an abominable creature, a hideous beast fashioned in the likeness of its creator.

A giant snake whose body was made of smaller snakes, all of which had scales pale as snow. The head was a bestial rendition of Orochimaru's face, with a wide jaw, multiple serrated teeth, and twin fangs long as a kunai. Spiked brown hair adorned its crown making it look more human than the boy was comfortable with.

"The fuck is that!" Kinoe exclaimed. "What in Kami's name is this… this _thing_?"

"I have no desire to find out," Kakashi stated. "It's too big and obviously dangerous for us to mess around with it."

"I say we head back, collect the files he left behind, and get out of here." Kinoe turned around and shivered a little as if to shake off the sight he had beheld.

His partner nodded. "Our task was only to investigate the lab and bring back what we can. As far as I'm concerned, we completed all our objectives."

"Agreed."

* * *

><p>The trip back to Konoha was a silent one. Neither one wanted to speak of what they had seen in the depths of the lab. The files that Kinoe had managed to read through hadn't given him any answers about his personal experience regarding human genetic experimentation.<p>

Standing before their superiors, they waited as they sifted through the information they had retrieved. Jiraiya and Ishikawa were both silently reading while the Hokage and his rival discussed amongst themselves.

"To think he had been at this sort of work for so long, it both astounds and horrifies me."

Sarutobi puffed out a stream of smoke from his pipe. He continued to read through the main mission report his eyes taking on a hardened look.

Danzō scratched his scarred chin in thought as he came across the details regarding the experimental creature kept in a hibernated state.

"Why would he be performing experiments on animals?" he pondered aloud. "His primary goal was immortality and he doesn't exactly have a lot of time to waste, especially considering his current status."

"Immortality through biological advancement would be my guess."

Both leaders looked up and found that Hideo and Kato had entered the office.

"What do mean?" the Hokage asked.

Kato cleared his throat before answering.

"Many species of animals live far longer than the average human does. This is due to a number of factors such as diet, environment, and the way their designed, and so on."

"Therefore," Hideo spoke, continuing on from where his comrade left off. "Orochimaru is seeking to improve upon his body by utilising various biological processes found in nature."

"What sort of 'upgrades' will he try to apply onto himself?" Danzō asked.

"It could be a lot of things," Kato replied, scratching his chin. "Cellular regeneration, Keratin-based armour, immunity to various poisons and pathogens, the list goes on."

Danzō shook his head in disgust as he tossed the report onto the table before him.

"You've been rather quiet Jiraiya, anything on your mind?" Sarutobi asked.

Jiraiya shook himself out of his thoughts.

"The year mentioned in the journal, I remember Orochimaru telling me that he was planning to build a small lab outside of Konoha so that any experimentation that goes awry wouldn't cause any harm to the environment or the populace."

"Did you notice anything off about him?" Hideo inquired. "Something that you noticed, but simply ignored thinking it was irrelevant at the time."

Jiraiya shook head. "No, nothing comes to mind."

He folded his arms and closed his eyes. "I remember him asking for encryption seals since he wanted the workers who would build the lab to never reveal the location, or the schematics of the lab. Since I thought nothing of it, I gave him what he asked. And now it's come to bite us all in the ass."

"Not all is lost."

They all turned towards Ishikawa who was calmly reading the report whilst leaning against the wall.

"He never asked for more encryption seals, which would have obviously gathered more attention to his work, especially from you Jiraiya. We can assume that he kept contracting the same people for all his labs. If that is the case then if we can find just one person, then we would be able to find each and every lab he has ever built."

Jiraiya's eyes widened as his mind kicked into high gear.

"I've got a lot of networking to set up," he said, giving a quick salute before leaving the room in a rush.

_Wait for me brother, wait for me. For the hunt begins…_

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Author Note – Alltariss –<strong> This is the first of the new chapters and content. Hope you enjoyed reading the aftereffects of Orochimaru's betrayal and with the short time-skip the next chapter is all about Kyōko and her investigation into the origins of Naruto and Alto.


	15. Chapter 14

**AN: Author Note – Alltariss –** This chapter is the beginning of many plots and conspiracies, as well as the thorned path both Naruto and Alto have to walk.

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><p><strong>Chapter 14<strong>

**I am the Prison. Not the Jailed.**

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><p>The past year had been a whirlwind of unending questions for Kyōko. She had spent many hours at the library sweeping through the old archives in search of answers whenever the opportunity came by.<p>

Naruto had started speaking a month before he was a year old, surprisingly early since most pick up the ability between their first and second year. Now at the age of two he was already capable of speaking at a level expected of children a few years older. If it were any other child Kyōko would have praised him as some sort of genius, but Naruto was no ordinary child. She had discovered that several high-ranking ninja seemed to already know about the boy. What exactly they knew about him was a mystery to her.

Alto could speak, but very rarely did so. It was to such an extent that Kyōko had thought the boy to be a mute. When he did speak it was at a similar level to Naruto's, at least, that was her assumption based on the small snippets of conversations she overheard between the two boys. Another element of strangeness was that despite wearing the blindfold since infancy, Alto never once seemed blind. He was able to navigate around the orphanage and even participate in the games that the children would usually play. Hide-and-Seek was the game that Alto was best at, for whenever he was the seeker he would find everyone without fail.

Naruto had consistently displayed his ability to manipulate emotions, but besides Kyōko no one suspected anything out of the ordinary. As far as they were concerned the child was simply a good peacemaker. Kyōko was the only one who could sense the slight usage of Chakra whenever Naruto stepped in to break up a fight between some of the older boys who tended to argue frequently. Just as he did during his infancy, their anger would quickly subside leaving them quite passive for a while.

_Yamanaka Inoichi, Nara Shikaku, Akimichi Chōza. They all know about Naruto, Inoichi would have definitely told them about the child's illegitimate status. They're thick as thieves. They may know something about Alto, but I've never been able to confirm it as I have with Naruto._

Kyōko slowly made her way through the streets towards the bank. The Daimyō's government deposited an allowance in an account to cover the costs of maintaining the orphanage as well as to care for each of the children they housed. It was based on the number of children they currently had and would cover for their food, clothing, and also enabled them to get a basic civilian education. Any money they could save was used for small luxuries such as toys or equipment for the children.

_He obviously told them about Naruto, if only because they would help him hide the connection to his clan. But why are there so many others that seem to know about this secret? The Inuzuka clan definitely know about him. Even their dogs seem to know the boy. The Aburame clan knows as well, not sure about their insects though. Are insects even capable of that level of thinking? The Hyūga know about it, I've seen some of their members discretely use their Byakugan soon after they notice him._

Soon she reached the bank and noticed not many people were inside. She met with a teller and made the necessary payments and withdrawals. After all the financial work was done she made her way back home.

* * *

><p>"I wasn't sure of it at first, but now I'm almost certain of her intentions."<p>

The room was populated by a number of different people, each cloaked and masked. With the small space barely lit by a single candle, it made identifying any one person an impossible task for a ninja. Unfortunately for them, Ishikawa was no ordinary ninja.

_Thank Kami there's only one candle. Any more would make this job harder than it already is. It's been five minutes and I'm already breaking a sweat._

The ceiling was supported by a single wooden beam from which he was clinging to. Spiked gloves and shoes enabled him to lay flat against it. It was fortunate that he chose to forgo wearing his flak-jacket leaving him only in black standard fatigues. The extra weight would only have hindered him.

"Care to explain?"

"The matron of the orphanage has been combing through the archives at the central library trying to find information regarding the Jinchūriki."

"Has she discovered the truth?"

"No, she's pursuing the wrong leads and getting nowhere. She has been looking for references to the Yamanaka clan. She believes, based on the appearance of one of the Jinchūriki that he may be an illegitimate child belonging to that clan."

"I don't blame her. With the way the boy looks anyone would think he was a part of that clan. There aren't that many people with that hair or eye colour."

"What of the other child? I hear he wears a blindfold at all times."

"She believes that the other child has a Dōjutsu(Eye Techniques) that is related to the Byakugan. Based on the reports I've received she could be right. The child has no problems whatsoever finding his way around the orphanage despite wearing a blindfold."

There were a few moments of silence in which each member of the cabal considered the information they were now informed of.

Ishikawa had carefully taken note of all that was spoken. As carefully as he could, he slowly allowed a small portion of his Chakra to activate the gifts his predecessors had given him. His perception of the room became much clearer and so were the identities of each member of the secret meeting. He recognised them all as members of various groups and factions. Some were from the civilian council, others from the merchant guilds, but the member that interested him the most was the one that wore the Yakuza clan symbol.

Most people involved with the Yakuza clan aren't truly members related by blood or marriage, but simply employees. Each one under the command of the higher ranked members who cater to the desires of the Yakuza Nine.

_No doubt he's grunt for the Master of Death. Katsumi prefers a less obvious approach to manipulation._

"I have taken the liberty to lead her in the right direction."

"Is that wise?"

"Jinchūriki are by nature an abomination. We'd be better off without them."

"But how are we to fend off those belonging to our enemies?"

"Kumo is the only one that poses a problem. They treat their Jinchūriki as if their actually human."

The Yakuza member laughed darkly.

"They're nothing but rabid beasts in human skin. The sooner they're dead the sooner we can actually make this nation pure again."

"Pure again," each member of the cabal intoned in unison.

Ishikawa watched as each member slowly left the room, his thoughts swirling around far too many topics.

_I know they've infiltrated the Emperor's Court, the Shōgun's Circle, the National Government, and the Regional Government. It would have been so easy for them. Rig the votes, veiled threats here and there, subtle propaganda where it's needed. A bloodless takeover. A pity that that their machinations will be recorded. If I fail at least my successor will finish what I've started._

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><p>Kyōko didn't know what to make of the message that she had received from the unknown informant. She had noticed the note that had been left on her desk.<p>

_What you seek lies not in wars past, but in the annals of myth. The history of those who once walked among us as behemoths of despair and destruction._

At first she had no idea what the message had meant, but after she had spent some time alone in her room to ponder she knew instantly where to look.

_Behemoths who brought despair and destruction. That could only mean the Bijū. The Kyūbi was destroyed as far as we were informed._

Suddenly everything made sense. The reason why everyone seemed to know about the boys and why they were wary of them. The Hyūga, Uchiha, Inuzuka, Aburame, Nara, Akimichi, and the Yamanaka.

_No wonder they wanted to cover up the whole incident! What clan would want the shame of housing the demon that brought so much death and destruction to our village? And it's clear that there's no guarantee that they can successfully contain the demon. Probably why they split the demon in two. A creature as powerful as the Kyūbi couldn't possibly exist within a single child._

Though her thoughts were running haphazardly through her mind, she had a good idea of what the boys were. Jinchūriki were horrors that were spoken of during the wars. She had heard of some situations where they had participated in battle. Butchers that bathed in the blood and flesh of her comrades, creatures pretending to be human. Deep within them, under the skin, beneath the flesh, and beyond the bone, laid an abomination that contained the unbridled fury that brought her village to its knees.

It was at this point that Kyōko knew she had to act. She could not in good conscience house those two boys along with all the other children.

_It would be only a matter of time before something sets them off and they slaughter us all._

Attached to the orphanage was a small shack that was used as a storage room. Within lay a variety of supplies that were used by the carers to maintain the area. Unbeknownst to all but her, was that there was a safe room hidden underneath the floor. Originally designed specifically for when the village was under attack and normal evacuation procedures couldn't be followed. The entrance of the safe room required only an insignificant pulse of Chakra, something that only Kyōko could pull off.

She was the only carer that had Chakra-based training. While the Corruption had indeed eaten away at her Keirakukei, it had not robbed her of the control of Chakra. The veins and coils had eroded to the point where majority of her Chakra bled into her body and into the environment. To a Chakra Sensor, Kyōko was a shining light amongst most energy signatures.

It would be a long sleepless night as she planned events that would forever change the course of history.

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><p>Ishikawa returned to his office and immediately deactivated the array of seals that covered his body. Within a single heartbeat all the Chakra that had been restrained burst forth and flooded his Keirakukei. It was like taking a fresh breath after being held underwater. He stumbled and gripped the edge of his desk, the sudden shift of internal energy was disorienting.<p>

"So, how was it?"

Sitting on his couch was none other than Jiraiya, calmly drinking sake. The spymaster didn't even bother to look at him.

"Fucking awful," Ishikawa answered. "It took the better part of an hour simply adjust to the feeling. Moving as I do without Chakra, it was like learning to walk all over again."

Jiraiya placed the saucer of sake down before moving towards his friend. Ishikawa turned around to show the seal on his back.

"I'm surprised you didn't die considering the multitude of shit that could have gone wrong with this idea," Jiraiya stated, inspecting the seal for damage. "Any seal that's applied directly onto organic material is subject to a myriad of catastrophic failures. You're lucky that _my sensei_ came up with this idea to get around such obstacles. It might only work for a few things, but it's certainly better than nothing."

_When the complexity of the Intended Object of Application exceeds a certain threshold it becomes prone to failures that can be sometimes violent. _

"It worked perfectly as required," Ishikawa countered.

"Only because I made the entire design extremely open for interpretation, which is an extremely stupid thing to do. Yet another thing that could have caused catastrophic failure."

"So what did you find out in today's small meeting," asked Jiraiya.

"Besides the fact that we have people on several different levels that are part of the cabal, I really don't know where to begin."

Ishikawa sat on the couch and took a swig of sake straight from the bottle.

"That bad, huh?"

"They're aware of the boys being Jinchūriki, and to make matters worse they've gone ahead and informed the matron of the orphanage of this fact. That damn woman was already curious about them and it was our luck that she was searching in all the wrong places. Now, she knows exactly where to look."

Jiraiya sat beside him and poured himself another round of sake.

"I'm supposed to be their godfather you know?" he began. "I was supposed to take care of them and everything, but the things we've heard and the shit we've seen. We both know a storm's coming and that the only way we can survive is if we turn them into war deterrents."

Ishikawa nodded resentfully. "We knew long before they were born that we were gonna end up in hell for all the shit we did in the name of our village, our country, for whatever ideals we were fighting for at the time."

He took a swig of alcohol before continuing. "Now here we are, discussing about how we're gonna turn two innocent boys into weapons of mass destruction. Has anything really changed so far? Aren't we just doing the same bullshit over and over hoping for different results?"

Neither man spoke after that, each wanting to drink their sins away throughout the night.

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><p>Kyōko had searched the library up and down for all the records regarding the Bijū. The topic was one that was deemed classified even to regular ninja, but she had found a single record that had been miss-filed. The short journal-like paper had described that it was common practice to seal the Bijū into human form in order to try and turn them into weapons. Yet, such practice resulted in failure as the new form would succumb to the will of the beast within. Thus, it was later hypothesised that killing the humanoid beast didn't release the Bijū, but would instead kill them. Even though such has never been done as it would remove the opportunity of gaining a powerful weapon.<p>

Armed with this knowledge Kyōko knew exactly what she needed to do. She would lock the both of them within the hidden bunker and would exact vengeance upon them for all they had done during the attack.

_I'll make them suffer, make them bleed. For my friends, for all those who lost everything because of those monsters. And when I'm done I'll burn them to ashes so that they'll never hurt anyone again._

It would be a month later when she had gathered all that she required to prepare the bunker into what was now a holding cell designed to torture its captives. She had planned the event that would see the boys go missing without getting any suspicion placed on her.

She had created a hole in the fence that was hidden behind some foliage and was only big enough for a child the same size as the Jinchūriki. When the boys are declared missing one of the employees would no doubt find the hole and assume that the boys had escaped from there. The military-police and even the regular ninja forces would all search the entire Pleasure District and would find no signs of either boys. Kyōko knew they would search until it became an exercise in futility.

Naruto and Alto had slept soundly for what would be the last time in the orphanage.

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><p>When the two boys awoke they had no idea where they were. Their current location had four walls of concrete. A single door made of solid steel at their back marked the only entrance in and out of the area. Two pairs of chains with cuffs adorned the far wall, the ends of them higher than either child could reach alone. Both sides of the room comprised of shelving filled with all sorts of tools and supplies.<p>

The door slammed open and then quickly shut. Kyōko appeared before them with a look of cold stoicism.

"What's happening?" Naruto asked.

Without even answering she roughly picked up Alto by the collar of his shirt and dragged him away. She ignored the sudden shouts of surprise and shock. She cuffed Alto to the wall with his legs dangling a good three feet off the ground. His face pressed against the wall so as to leave his back exposed. Naruto ran and grabbed Kyōko's trousers in a futile attempt to stop her. The young boy soon found himself strung up in cuffs when she was finished with Alto.

"Why are you doing this?!" Alto screamed. "We didn't do anything?!"

Kyōko huffed in annoyance. "You can stop pretending to be human. I'm sure it's all fun and games for you isn't it? Thinking nobody would notice, nobody would punish you for your crimes against us."

Her face warped into one of gleeful madness. "You thought your little mental ability could stop me? I can feel you using it and it's worthless. My Keirakukei is broken beyond belief and I have you to thank for that. But, while you've reduced me to less than a civilian, you've granted me immunity from your ability."

Naruto had streaks of tears pouring down his face. He couldn't comprehend the horror of what their caretaker was doing to them. Soon enough he would face even greater horrors at her hands.

"The both of you are going to have so much _fun_! I'm going to write all about it. And when it's all over I'll be a hero whose fame will stand alongside the Hokage's!"

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><p><em>2246, October<em>

_I have decided to write a journal regarding my efforts to take vengeance on and eventually destroy the demon that had so violently attacked our peaceful village. There are so many truths that have been hidden from us. The Bijū, Kyūbi, was not defeated as we have been told; it still lives on in a different form. There is so much to tell, so let me start from the beginning._

_The Kyūbi is no ordinary demon. It is classified as one of the nine greatest demons to roam our lands. These nine demons are collectively called Bijū. They have been a part of our world since the beginning and have terrorised us for no reason other than to destroy us all. It was some time during the formation of our village that we decided to seal the beasts into human form._

_This is what created the Jinchūriki. We created them to become weapons at our beck and call. While using the demons in human form enabled us to control them, we have forgotten the true reason we sealed the beasts. Or perhaps we simply decided that having them as pets was more useful. Unfortunately, they are a constant threat. If the seal weakens then the demon resumes its true form and will attack us._

_The Kyūbi was sealed into a human form and the seal failed since the demon was able to unlock it. After it restored itself to its original form, it viciously attacked us hoping to wipe us out. This is what led to so many of our families, friends, and comrades having to suffer beneath its wrath. Now the beast is once again sealed, but this time into two separate human forms._

_The true purpose that we sealed the beasts into human form was that we could easily kill them. Since the beasts are unaccustomed to our form they are extremely weak, thus they are at our mercy._

_I have found the Kyūbi's human forms and have trapped them within my hidden chambers. Soon I will begin taking vengeance on them for all of our fallen._

_End of Log_

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><p><em>2246, October<em>

_The filthy beasts insist on pretending to be human. They've been chained to the wall for a few days now. Already covered in their own filth, so afraid of what I have in store for them._

_Jinchūriki are known to heal at a far faster rate than most. Any wound, big or small will be healed as fast and as accurately as possible to ensure that the beast's human form is in good enough shape to eventually break the seal and return to their human form._

_Tomorrow, I will begin conducting the first experiments._

_End of Log_

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><p><em>2246, October<em>

_The experiment was a resounding success. The half of the beast that calls himself Naruto heals at an amazing pace. I performed multiple incisions into his arms and the very flesh that I had severed seemed to almost have a mind of its own. The severed flesh reached towards each other and attached with perfection. No medic save Tsunade could possibly heal someone to such a degree._

_The other half of the beast that calls himself Alto seems to heal very differently. The flesh slowly knits itself together, but it isn't perfect. It seems crude and leaves a lot of scarring. At this point it appears obvious that Naruto inherited the better deal when it comes to healing. His flesh autonomously repairs itself even after the beast fell unconscious from shock._

_Alto on the other hand autonomously repairs his body, but suffers from the same limitations as we humans do. Imperfect connections between nerves, muscle fibres, and tissue in general. Thus, he also scars as we do. This is perfect, absolutely perfect. Naruto will feel the same pain as his other half, but only Alto will truly have to live with the scars until I kill them._

_I'll leave them to rot for a while before I continue with my experiments._

_End of Log._

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><p>Naruto looked towards his brother as Kyōko began to prepare her tools for the next torturous session. Alto who once could have been described as a cute child was now reduced to a horrifically scarred wretch. His pale flesh was now covered in multiple marks and scars that overlapped each other. There were few places that were yet to be touched and it was tonight that Kyōko would be working on the yet unscarred flesh.<p>

Naruto had figured out early on to block out the pain, a remarkable strength of will that most couldn't achieve. No matter how much he was forced to suffer, he no longer allowed himself to pass out. He made sure that he was awake so that he could see what Kyōko would then inflict on his brother. So far she had only been using all manner of cutting tools. Knives, blades, surgical equipment like scalpels and medical scissors, all in the pursuit of inflicting pain.

Alto could no longer see. Kyōko had unshackled him and being far too weak and wounded, he showed little resistance to being strapped down to a portable operating table. She had figured that his eyes would retain their powers even after being severed from him. She believed them to function in a method that was similar to the Sharingan and Byakugan. She thought to sell the eyes to whatever clan would pay the most for them. Or that the village itself would pay for them in order to replicate for multiple implantations.

Each brother remembered the entire process vividly, one a little more permanently than the other. Every cut, every scream, shout, and struggle. Naruto watched as Kyōko placed several attachments to hold Alto's head into a vice. The tortured boy couldn't move his head at all, not even a fraction of an inch. Alongside him were tables that held preservation fluids for a purpose that he would soon know.

Kyōko wore a thick medical mask that helped prevent any foreign particles from entering her lungs. A precaution that was necessary since she never cleaned up the messes that the boys would make. Whenever they needed to relieve themselves they were forced to do so whilst chained and freely hanging a few feet off the ground. There were sections of the wall that were stained stale yellow from urination and the floor beneath them was dark brown bordering black from the dried faeces. They had little choice but to defecate in such a shameful manner and Kyōko enjoyed watching them wallow in their own filth.

Kyōko stretched the skin around Alto's right eye and positioned her scalpel for the first incision. He tried to close his eyes in a futile effort, but her grip was strong. She started from the tear ducts and worked her way along the soft tissue of his socket before stopping at the cheekbone. Alto screamed he writhed as much as his body would allow. He wanted to run, wanted to weep, and wanted so much for the pain to end. She made a curved cut from the cheekbone till the corner of his eyebrow. Working around the black hair, she continued until she finally came full circle back through the valley between brows and to the first cut.

Ignoring the copious amounts of blood that flowed forth, she lifted the flesh up as the scalpel cut away more and more. After a minute she pulled the severed flesh off the boy's face and tossed it away into the pile of excrement beneath Naruto. The Jinchūriki didn't shout or scream, shocked into paralysing silence. Through the blood she could clearly see the muscle and sinew around the eye socket.

Alto convulsed like a freshly caught fish desperately trying to free itself. He wailed in agony at the loss of flesh and the now exposed eyeball rotated in crazed directions as blood clouded its vision. Kyōko then put the scalpel away and took a strange tool in her hand. The handle was that of a scissor, but instead of two cutting blades it was four curved prongs. She tested the strange tool and Naruto watched as the prongs opened and closed almost like the petals of a flower. She positioned the tips around Alto's eye and slowly enclosed the device. She pulled the eyeball out until she could clearly see the thin rope of flesh that kept the organ functional as well as housing the optical nerve. Grabbing a pair of scissors with her other hand, she swiftly cut the flesh away before placing it in the jar she prepared beforehand.

Kyōko marvelled at the sight of the organ as it floated around in the preservation fluid. The entirety of the eye that was usually white with thin red veins was coloured black. The only part not of that shade was the iris and pupil that remained a bright white and even though it was now severed from the body, it seemed to still retain a slight glow.

"A demon you may be, but at least you'll serve a greater purpose."

She chuckled slightly as she lifted the jar and placed it carefully on the storage shelf.

"Your _sacrifice_ will be for the good of the village."

She picked up the scalpel once more and started the process all over again.

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><p>It is said that when one is deprived of a single form of sense, then the rest become more effective. In most cases this is a falsity. It is merely that the individual is simply more acutely aware of their remaining senses and thus consciously focuses them to make up for the loss off the sense.<p>

When Alto's eyes were forcefully removed, he awoke the next day with a crippling sense of fear. Humans rely on sight for the majority of their functional life. To perceive the world around them, to communicate in subtle nuances, to work in tandem with the other senses in order to get capture moments and memories instead of just static images. The blindfold he wore served to cloak the abnormal colouration of his eyes as well as blinding him. Though it was made of material impossible for normal eyes to see through, Alto was still able to see the world, just not the same as most do.

The world consisted of a variety of colours that were in various shapes, but also had some fluidity. The colours would stay within certain shapes or structures, but some would leak out and merge with others before shifting into entirely different colours. He couldn't comprehend what each one meant and hence relied on both touch and sound to make his way around the orphanage. It was later that he managed to make sense of some the colours that made up the world around him.

It was energy; each colour was energy of a different kind. The Sharingan and Byakugan could only see Chakra in its complete form, but Alto could perceive the components that Chakra was created from. He would spend hours watching the other children play and watch as the energies would dance and fuse together in a myriad of wispy tendrils and twisted coils. Every single person was unique and Kyōko was the strangest one of all. Her body radiated energy; it was akin to a light-bulb. It bled out into the environment leaving clear trails wherever she travelled.

Tonight, Alto would surpass his limits. His mind in disarray from extended torture, his body repairing itself haphazardly, soon it would bear fruit. He could feel a strange sensation within himself, a sense of vertigo assailed him as his remaining senses recalibrated themselves. A wave of nausea hit him and he expelled what little food that he had been fed leaving an acidic burn along his throat.

He acclimatised to the foreign sensation after an hour and the world was no longer empty. It was still dark, but not devoid of existence. He just _knew_ exactly where the shelves were and where all the tools on them were placed. He just _knew_ where Naruto was and his exact state and condition. He just _knew_ how far the walls were from him, and the exact dimensions of the passageway beyond the steel door. The whole world was open to him in a way that his eyes used to show, but still so very different.

He tilted his head upwards and could _feel_ precisely where Kyōko was.

"I can see you."

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><p><strong>AN: Author Note – Alltariss –<strong> Another chapter done! Sorry for taking so long but real life is very demanding. (T-T)


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